Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Complete Set Preview Gate 2019
Complete Set Preview Gate 2019
5. This the new edition for GATE 2019. All the shortcomings
in the previous editions has been taken cared of.
ORIGINAL
PHOTOGRAPHS
Introduction
As the name of this section suggests, it is meant for to recap the maximum part of the syllabus in minimum possible
time. This is a part of GATE ARCHITECTURE 2018 complete set. It covers through short notes on different topics of
the syllabus.
There is no limit on the discussion on the topic on General Aptitude. Scoring marks in this section depend on the
intuition, clicks etc of the aspirants in the examination hall. However we have included ample examples with answer on
Verbal Ability & Numerical Ability topic.
When it comes to the building services, it is essentially an engineering section. Even its topics ( for example HVAC or
Fire Fighting) comes from different departments. To solve a numerical from a particular topic, we need to understand
the concept & theories behind it and knowledge of SI unit conversion to arrive at the precise answer. Here we have
tried to introduce the topic through solved examples and derivation theories.
Contents
Building & Construction (page BC1-BC96)
Section 1: Architecture and Design Visual composition in 2D and 3D; Principles of Art and Architecture; Organization of space;
Architectural Graphics; Computer Graphics– concepts of CAD, BIM, 3D modeling and Architectural rendition; Programming
languages and automation. Anthropometrics; Planning and design considerations for different building types; Site planning;
Circulation- horizontal and vertical; Barrier free design; Space Standards; Building Codes; National Building Code.
Elements, construction, architectural styles and examples of different periods of Indian and Western History of Architecture;
Oriental, Vernacular and Traditional architecture; Architectural developments since Industrial Revolution; Influence of modern art
on architecture; Art nouveau, Eclecticism, International styles, Post Modernism, Deconstruction in architecture; Recent trends in
Contemporary Architecture; Works of renowned national and international architects.
Section 2: Building Materials, Construction and Management Behavioral characteristics and applications of different building
materials viz. mud, timber, bamboo, brick, concrete, steel, glass, FRP, AAC, different polymers, composites.
Building construction techniques, methods and details; Building systems and prefabrication of building elements; Principles of
Modular Coordination; Estimation, specification, valuation, professional practice; Construction planning and equipments; Project
management techniques e.g. PERT, CPM etc.
Section 3: Building and Structures Principles of strength of materials; Design of structural elements in wood, steel and RCC;
Elastic and Limit State design; Structural systems in RCC and Steel; Form and Structure; Principles of Pre-stressing; High Rise and
Long Span structures, gravity and lateral load resisting systems; Principles and design of disaster resistant structures.
Section 4: Environmental Planning and Design Ecosystem- natural and man-made ecosystem; Ecological principles; Concepts
of Environmental Impact Analysis; Environmental considerations in planning and design; Thermal comfort, ventilation and air
movement; Principles of lighting and illumination; Climate responsive design; Solar architecture; Principles of architectural
acoustics; Green Building- Concepts and Rating; ECBC; Building Performance Simulation and Evaluation; Environmental
pollution- types, causes, controls and abatement strategies.
Section 5: Urban Design Concepts and theories of urban design; Public Perception; Townscape; Public Realm; Urban design
interventions for sustainable development and transportation; Historical and modern examples of urban design; Public spaces,
character, spatial qualities and Sense of Place; Elements of urban built environment – urban form, spaces, structure, pattern, fabric,
texture, grain etc; Principles, tools and techniques of urban design; Urban renewal and conservation; Site planning; Landscape
design; Development controls – FAR, densities and building byelaws.
Section 6: Urban Planning and Housing Planning process; Types of plans - Master Plan, City Development Plan, Structure Plan,
Zonal Plan, Action Area Plan, Town Planning Scheme, Regional Plan; Salient concepts, theories and principles of urban planning;
Sustainable urban development; Emerging concepts of cities - Eco-City, Smart City, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), SEZ,
SRZ etc.
Housing; Concepts, principles and examples of neighbourhood; Housing typologies; Slums; Affordable Housing; Housing for
special areas and needs; Residential densities; Standards for housing and community facilities; National Housing Policies,
Programs and Schemes.
Section 7: Planning Techniques and Management Tools and techniques of Surveys – Physical, Topographical, Landuse and
Socio-economic Surveys; Methods of non-spatial and spatial data analysis; Graphic presentation of spatial data; Application of
G.I.S and Remote Sensing techniques in urban and regional planning; Decision support system and Land Information System.
Urban Economics; Law of demand and supply of land and its use in planning; Social, Economical and environmental cost benefit
analysis; Techniques of financial appraisal; Management of Infrastructure Projects; Development guidelines such as URDPFI;
Planning Legislation and implementation – Land Acquisition Act, PPP etc.; Local self-governance.
Section 8: Services, Infrastructure and Transportation Building Services: Water supply; Sewerage and drainage systems;
Sanitary fittings and fixtures; Plumbing systems; Principles of internal and external drainage system; Principles of electrification of
buildings; Intelligent Buildings; Elevators and Escalators - standards and uses; Air-Conditioning systems; Firefighting Systems;
Building Safety and Security systems.
Urban Infrastructure – Transportation, Water Supply, Sewerage, Drainage, Solid Waste Management, Electricity and
Communications.
Process and Principles of Transportation Planning and Traffic Engineering; Road capacity; Traffic survey methods; Traffic flow
characteristics; Traffic analyses and design considerations; Travel demand forecasting; Land-use – transportation - urban form
inter-relationships; Design of roads, intersections, grade separators and parking areas; Hierarchy of roads and level of service;
Traffic and transport management and control in urban areas,; Mass transportation planning; Para-transits and other modes of
transportation, Pedestrian and slow moving traffic planning; Intelligent Transportation Systems. Principles of water supply and
sanitation systems; water treatment; Water supply and distribution system; Water harvesting systems; Principles, Planning and
Design of storm water drainage system; Sewage disposal methods; Methods of solid waste management - collection, transportation
and disposal; Recycling and Reuse of solid waste; Power Supply and Communication Systems, network, design and guidelines.
Genaral Aptitude
BC1
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
Timber
Introduction: The Mechanical properties and availability of wood have made it a natural material for building
structures, furniture, tools, vehicles, and decorative objects. Worldwide it is used more than metal or plastic.
Wood is a natural product and when used responsibly is a sustainable resource which need not result in damage to the
environment. Forests can be protected by recycling and reusing the wood, using less wood and by supporting
sustainable forest management
All wood is composed of cellulose, lignin, hemicelluloses, and minor amounts (5% to 10%) of extraneous materials
contained in a cellular structure.
Wood comprises about 50% of cellulose which responsible for most of its mechanical properties.
Natural wood is generally composed of bundles of long fibres which are effectively water carrying tubes. These fibres
are laid in the direction of the tree trunk or branch from which the wood is removed.
The strength of wood is highly dependent on the loading direction. Wood is strongest in tension along the fibres and is
weakest in the radial and tangential direction. When loaded in its strongest direction (longitudinal along the grain - see
figure below) wood can have a strength to weight ratio advantage relative to steel of 2:1. However when wood is
loaded in other directions (radial and tangential to the grain- see figure below) this advantage disappears
To use wood to its best advantage and most effectively in engineering applications, specific characteristics or physical
properties must be considered.
Softwoods are one of the botanical groups of trees that has persistent needle-like or scale-like leaves; softwoods are
evergreen and have longer-length fibers than hardwoods.
Hardwood trees are generally broadleaved trees. These tree species are deciduous, retaining their leaves only one
growing season. The designation Hardwood trees does not necessarily relate to the hardness of the wood.. Hardwood
trees are also called broad leaf trees or deciduous trees.
Typical hardwood trees include ash, elms, oak, maple, walnut, hickory, mahogany, and walnut. Woods grown in
tropical climates are generally hardwoods. Hardwood have shorter fibers compared to softwood. some hardwoods are
evergreen.
BC2
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
Plywood
This is a product made from an odd number (three, five ...) of thin layers (veneers) of wood (generally hardwoods)
bonded together by an adhesive. The alternate plies are at right angles thus ensuring that the resulting material has a
high uniform strength in all directions.
Plywood does not split as easily as conventional wood and has a good dimensional stability under conditions of varying
moisture conditions. Plywood will not easily split if a nail is close to any edges. Plywood can be considered as a high
strength construction material used for internal and external load bearing panels.
Plywood is normally supplied as 1,2m x 2,4m sheets in thickness from 3 to 25mm thickness
Chipboard
Chipboard is made from particles of wood bonded together with a synthetic resin and sometimes other binders. The
panels are generally 2,4m x 1,2m with thicknesses from 3mm to 40mm. Larger sizes are available up to 5m x 1,5m.
The particles are obtained from forrest thinnings sawdust and small pieces of wood unsuitable for other uses are
granulated to chips. The resin used is generally urea formalehyde. Chipboard is normally only suitable for interior use
in the manufacture of low cost furniture, wall panels and floor panels.
Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) is a wood substitute form which is made from fine wood fibres in a resin which is
bonded under heat and pressure. It is manufactured by a dry process at a lower temperature than other fibreboards e.g
hardboard. The natural glues and resins contained within the wood are not effective. MDF therefore uses artificial
bonding agents / resins. The resin used is usually urea formaldehyde, but some fibreboard including exterior or marine
quality board will use stronger glues such as phenol formaldehyde. MDF may be used instead of plywood or
chipboard. It is dense, flat, stiff, has no knots and is easily machined. It is made up of fine particles and therefore
does not have an easily recognisable surface grain
MDF can be painted to produce a smooth quality surface. Because MDF has no grain it can be cut, drilled, machined
and filed without damaging the surface. MDF may be dowelled together and traditional woodwork joints may even be
cut. MDF may be glued together with PVA wood glue. Oil, water-based paints and varnishes may be used on MDF.
Veneers and laminates may also be used to finish MDF
Safety: It should be noted by anyone involved with MDF that there is an accepted risk that wood dust inhaled at certain
level, is a carcinogen (cancer causing) and that formaldehyde is possibly carcinogenic to humans'. Exposure to
formaldehyde by inhalation can cause irritation to the eyes, nose, throat and mucus membrane.formaldehyde can also
cause dermatitis. A number of countries have but legal limitations on the use of MDF
Strength of wood
Wood is a natural product and its properties vary continuously throughout processing from when the tree is cut
down. Green wood has high moisture content (generally) and this results in reduced strength. As it is dried it loses
the moisture content and becomes stronger.
Wood may be described as an orthotropic material; that is, it has unique and independent mechanical properties in the
directions of three mutually perpendicular axes: longitudinal, radial, and tangential. The longitudinal axis is assumed
parallel to the fiber (grain); the radial axis is normal to the growth rings (perpendicular to the grain in the radial
direction); and the tangential axis is perpendicular to the grain but tangent to the growth rings. (Think of the grain as
the tree rings running up the trunk /branch - planks of wood are simply sections of the tree trunk (or branch)
BC3
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
Bamboo
Bamboo as a building material has high compressive strength and low weight has been one of the most used
building material as support for concrete, especially in those locations where it is found in abundance.
Bamboo as a building material is used for the construction of scaffolding, bridges and structures, houses.
1. Tensile strength: Bamboo has higher tensile strength than steel because its fibers run axially.
2. Fire Resistance: Capability of bamboo to resist fire is very high and it can withstand temperature up to 4000
C. This is due to the presence of high value of silicate acid and water.
3. Elasticity: Bamboo is widely preferred in earthquake prone regions due to its elastic features.
4. Weight of bamboo: Bamboos due to their low weight are easily displaced or installed making it very easier for
transportation and construction.
5. Unlike other building materials like cement and asbestos, bamboo poses no danger to health.
6. They are cost effective and easy to use.
7. They are especially in great demand in earthquake prone areas.
Disadvantages of Bamboo
Bamboos come with their own set of drawbacks such as:
1. They require preservation
2. Shrinkage: Bamboo shrinks much greater than any other type of timber especially when it loses water.
3. Durability: Bamboo should be sufficiently treated against insect or fungus attack before being utilized for
building purposes.
4. Jointing: Despite prevalence of various techniques of jointing, structural reliability of bamboo is questionable.
Feature
1. Flexible, very strong and durable.
2. Used for scaffolding, thatched roofs, rafters, temporary bridges, fancy goods.
BC9
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
Brick
6. Harmful ingredients
Effect
Excess of lime (lumps)
Iron pyrites (crystallized and disintegrated)
Alkalies (cause bricks fuse, twists, wrap)
Pebbles (unregulations)
Vegetation & (porous)
Organic matter
BC10
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
Toughened Glass This type of glass is tempered, may have distortions and low visibility but it breaks into small dice-
like pieces at modulus of rupture of 3600 psi. Hence it is used in making fire resistant doors etc. They are available in
same weight and thickness range as float glass.
Laminated Glass: This type of glass is made by sandwiching glass panels within a protective layer. It is heavier than
normal glass and may cause optical distortions as well. It is tough and protects from UV radiation (99%) and insulates
sound by 50%. Used in glass facades, aquariums, bridges, staircases, floor slabs, etc.
Shatterproof glass: By adding a polyvinyl butyral layer, shatter proof glass is made. This type of glass does not from
sharp edged pieces even when broken. Used in skylight, window, flooring, etc
Extra clean glass: This type of glass is hydrophilic i.e. The water moves over them without leaving any marks and
photocatylitic i.e. they are covered with Nanoparticles that attack and break dirt making it easier to clean and maintain.
Double Glazed Units: These are made by providing air gap between two glass panes in order to reduce the heat loss
and gain. Normal glass can cause immense amount of heat gain and upto 30%of loss of heat of air conditioning energy.
Green, energy efficient glass can reduce this impact.
Chromatic glass: This type of glass can control daylight and transparency effectively. These glass are available in three
forms- photochromatic (light sensitive lamination on glass), thermochromatic (heat sensitive lamination on glass) and
electrochromatic (light sensitive glass the transparency of which can be controlled by electricity switch.) It can be used
in meeting rooms and ICUs
Glass wool: Glass wool is a thermal insulation that consists of intertwined and flexible glass fibers, which causes it to
"package" air, and consequently make good insulating materials. Glass wool can be used as filler or insulators in
buildings, also for soundproofing.
Glass blocks: Hollow glass wall blocks are manufactured as two separate halves and, while the glass is still molten, the
two pieces are pressed together and annealed. The resulting glass blocks will have a partial vacuum at the hollow
center. Glass bricks provide visual obscuration while admitting light
properties of glass
Polycarbonate: This elastic is 300 times stronger than glass, is resistant to most chemicals, is twice as lighter than class,
has high abrasion and impact resistance. It can transmit as much light as glass without many distortions. Applications
include window, green house glazing etc.
Acrylic: Acrylic is made of thermo plasticsis weather resistant, is 5 times stronger than glass but is prone to scratches.
It has excellent optics, is softer than glass but can accumulate a lot of dust. This is extensively used in to make
playhouses, green house etc.
GRP panels: GRP is manufactured by combining hundreds of glass strands together using a pigmented thermosetting
UV resin.Glass-reinforced plastics are also used to produce house building components such as roofing laminate,
canopies etc. The material is light and easy to handle. It is used in the construction of composite housing and insulation
to reduce heat loss.
ETFE: Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene is a plastic with high strength and corrosion resistance. It has high energy radiation
resistance properties, it is strong, self cleaning and recyclable.
The versatility of glass keeps on increasing as scientists find new applications to this wonder material. Glass is now
being used in the building industry as insulation material, structural component, external glazing material, cladding
material; it is used to make delicate looking fenestrations on facades as well as conventional windows. With the advent
of green technology in construction, glass is constantly undergoing transformation. Solar power glass, switchable glass
projection screens are a few of the newer uses.
(Source: http://www.understandconstruction.com/glass.html )
BC14
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
Concrete
When we say concrete in the building trade, we actually mean reinforced concrete. Its full name is reinforced cement
concrete, or RCC. RCC is concrete that contains steel bars, called reinforcement bars, or rebars. This combination
works very well, as concrete is very strong in compression, easy to produce at site, and inexpensive, and steel is very
very strong in tension.
To make reinforced concrete, one first makes a mould, called formwork, that will contain the liquid concrete and give it
the form and shape we need. Then one looks at the structural engineer's drawings and places in the steel reinforcement
bars, and ties them in place using wire. The tied steel is called a reinforcement cage, because it is shaped like one.
Once the steel is in place, one can start to prepare the concrete, by mixing cement, sand, stone chips in a range of sizes,
and water in a cement mixer, and pouring in the liquid concrete into the formwork tilll exactly the right level is
reached.
The concrete will become hard in a matter of hours, but takes a month to reach its full strength. Therefore it is usually
propped up until that period. During this time the concrete must be cured, or supplied with water on its surface, which
it needs for the chemical reactions within to proceed properly.
Working out the exact 'recipe', or proportions of each ingredient, is a science in itself. It is called concrete mix design.
A good mix designer will start with the properties that are desired in the mix, then take many factors into account, and
work out a detailed mix design. A site engineer will often order a different type of mix for a different purpose. For
example, if he is casting a thin concrete wall in a hard-to-reach area, he will ask for a mix that is more flowable than
stiff. This will allow the liquid concrete to flow by gravity into every corner of the formwork. For most construction
applications, however, a standard mix is used. Common examples of standard mixes are M20, M30, M40 concrete,
where the number refers to the strength of the concrete in n/mm2. Therefore M30 concrete will have a compressive
strength of 30 n/mm2. A standard mix may also specify the maximum aggregate size. Aggregates are the stone chips
used in concrete. If an engineer specifies M30 / 20 concrete, he wants M30 concrete with a maximum aggregate size of
20mm. He does NOT want concrete with a strength of between 20-30 n/mm2, which is a common misinterpretation in
some parts of the world.
Concrete that is cast in place in its mould is called cast-in-situ concrete. Concrete members that are cast in a concrete
factory and then shipped to site are called precast concrete.
types of concrete
High Strength Concrete: the most basic and important property of concrete is its compressive strength. Concrete with a
compressive strength of 40Mpa (5,800 psi) is called high strength concrete.
High Performance Concrete: is a new term for some concretes being developed today. It is a fairly broad term that
describes concretes that outperform "normal", everyday concrete in one or more characteristics such as lifespan,
lifespan in corrosive environments, permeability, density, ease of placement, or many other parameters.
Lightweight Concrete: is made by using small, lightweight aggregates, such as small balls of styrofoam (thermocole) or
by adding foaming agents to the mix of concrete. Lightweight concretes have low structural strength, and are used
mostly in non-structural elements. The best is example is aerated autoclaved concrete (AAC) blocks used for making
walls. Also called cellular concrete or aerated concrete.
Sprayed Concrete or Shotcrete: you can actually spray concrete onto a surface to form a thick, uneven coating. This
process is different from other concreting methods in that the concrete is not poured into a form or mould. It is sprayed
directly onto a surface, and is used in infrastructure projects and to repair old, cracked concrete surfaces. Shotcreting is
also called guniting.
Water-resistant Concrete: normal concretes are permeable to water; that is, they allow water to pass through. Water
resistant concretes are engineered to have fine particle cement replacements that do not allow water to pass through.
These are very useful for construction below ground, like basements, as well as water retaining structures like water
tanks and dams, and of course marine structures like jetties and bridges.
BC16
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
Micro reinforced concretes: are a new generation of high-tech concretes. They contain small steel, fibreglass or plastic
fibres that dramatically alter the properties of concrete. (Sourcehttp://www.understandconstruction.com/concrete.html )
Stone
Stone is a great floor finish and is affordable in many countries; Italy and India are both known for the variety and
quality of stone they produce. There is a great advantage to stone that is almost unique to floor finishes: you can polish
it, and thus make it look and feel like new, at any time in its life.
Granite is a volcanic rock (it was originally lava, that cooled to form solid rock) that has the following properties:
These properties make it a great choice as a floor or countertop finish. It can also be used to clad walls. However it is
available mainly in dark colours: black, red, grey. This darkness in colour does tend to limit its use in certain areas.
Its surface can also be worked to produce a variety of textures other than smooth: granite can be flamed, water blasted,
sand blasted, bush hammered, or tumbled. These rough finishes are mostly used outdoors, on pathways. The famous
cobblestones of Europe are granite, for instance.
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock (rock formed by ancient rivers that slowly deposited material on their beds, that built
up layer by layer over millions of years). It has the following properties:
These properties mean that it is good for decks and external areas because of its anti-slip properties. Since sandstone
looks and feels very different from granite and marble, it has become fashionable to use these in boutique stores. Steve
Jobs famously saw a bluish-grey sandstone on a trip to Florence, and many years later insisted that that very stone be
used in all apple stores because of its 'integrity'. The stone is quarried from an area reserved for apple, cut into tiles, and
every piece graded individually for colour tone by master craftsmen. The tiles are then arranged so that pieces with
similar colour are placed together, which makes them seem more uniform to the eye. (Source:
http://www.understandconstruction.com/stone.html )
BC17
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
FRP
Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic Panels (FRP) are modern composite materials that have become popular in the
construction industry. These panels are made from a combination of glass fibers and plastics. The fibers act similar to
beams in a house, reinforcing the structure of the polymer, making it more stable and strong. A fiberglass reinforced
panel used in construction usually has the following components:
Panels made from fiberglass reinforced plastics are lightweight, yet strong and flexible. They are quite superior to
traditional building materials like wood and metal on several counts.
It offers the architect unlimited design flexibility due to its molded shape potential. From columns to cornices,
Fiberglass (FRP) has been used around the world to add decorative dimensionality to projects while being a cost
alternative to many traditional building materials.
Fiberglass reinforced polymers (FRP) is a lightweight, versatile and durable construction material for exterior
architectural detailing. FRP is used to create columns, capitals, moldings, domes, decorative balustrades, pergolas,
rafter tails, entablatures, pediments, rakes, brackets, quoins, window and door surrounds or any architectural feature
you wish to create. Fiberglass is extremely versatile. It can be molded and produced in practically any shape. FRP
parts can be made on a radius or ellipse. You can have letters preformed in the fiberglass parts to mimic the look of
chiseled stone words on building facades.
There are great advantages to specifying and installing fiberglass on your construction project. Fiberglass is
lightweight with strong and durable properties. Since it is lightweight, FRP enables the building design to require less
structural load requirements, thus reducing costs for the project.
FRP can be supplied several ways. For many projects, FRP is supplied unpainted. This enables the installer to attach
the FRP to the structure with the ability to countersink screws, patch the screw holes with body filler and sand the
screw holes flush with the fiberglass surface. The entire project is then primed and painted giving the material a
uniform, finished appearance.
FRP can also be supplied with a gel coated colored finish. Almost any color can be achieved. Some projects require
that the FRP arrive to the jobsite with a finished coat. When specifying a finished FRP, there are certain things to take
into consideration. Firstly, there needs to be strong communication between the architect, construction manager,
supplier and installer. Prefinished FRP needs to handled and installed properly to protect the finish. Screws need to be
strategically installed to minimize the number of exposed areas on the surface of the material.
A third process for producing fiberglass is with a simulated stone finish. This can give the FRP the appearance of
limestone and other stone finishes. The same planning and care must be followed for handling and installation the
stone finished FRP as with the gel coated colored FRP.
AAC Blocks
BC18
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
• Modular coordination is a concept of coordination of dimension and space in which buildings and
components are dimensioned and positioned in terms of basic unit or module.
• It is internationally accepted by the International Standard Organization and many other countries
A module: a basic dimension which could for example form the basis of a planning grid in terms of multiples
and submultiples of standard module.
Provide guide to building component sizing: this can reduce as much as possible the needs to further trim and
shape the materials to fi together in construction thus, reducing
wastage of labor and material.
Aims
Basic Module: It is the fundamental unit of size in modular coordination and for general application to building &
components .The size of basic Module is taken as 100mm denoted by “M” . It is considered to be large enough to effect
some variety reduction in range of component size and is small enough to provide a flexible unit of measurement for
the purpose of design.
Multi Module: Certain whole multiples of basic module usually expressed in as “M” with numeric prefix as 2M , 3M,
4M etc are referred to as multi module.
Sub Module: Certain submultiples of basic module which are whole simple fractions shall be chosen when absolutely
necessary for an increment smaller than the basic module. For practical considerations, this sub modular increment
shall be expressed as “M” with fractional prefix as 1/5M, 1/4M, 1/3M,etc
BC30
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
General specifications give the idea and class of work in general terms and are generally attached with the rough cost
and detailed estimates.
Foundation and Plinth :- Shall be of first class burnt bricks in lime or cement mortar(1:6)over a bed of cement
concrete. (1:6:12 or 1:8:16)
Superstructure:- Shall be of first class burnt brick work in lime or cement mortar (1:6)
Damp Proof Course:- Shall be of a cm thick cement concrete (1:2:4) with on-layer of bitumen laid hot or any other
specified water proof material.
Roofing:- Shall be of R.C.C. slabs (1:2:4) covered with two coats of bitumen and a layer of lime or cement concrete 8
cm. thick over it with a tile flooring with cement flush with cement flush pointed on the top.
Flooring:- Shall be of TERRAZO in drawing, dining, bath and W.C., 4 cm thick plain conglomerate polished floors in
bed rooms and in other rooms.
Doors and Windows:- Doors and windows shall be of teak wood, paneled or paneled and glazed with gauze shutters to
outer doors and fixed wire gauze to windows and ventilators Fittings shall preferably of brass or good quality metal.
Finishing:- The inside and outside walls shall have 1.25 cm. thick cement plaster. Drawing, dining and bed rooms
inside of walls shall have 2 coats of distemper and other rooms shall have three coats of white washing. The outside of
the wall shall have two coats of colour washing over one coat of white washing.
Painting:- Doors and windows shall be given three coats of white lead where exposed and white zinc or cream or grey
silicate paint elsewhere.
Miscellaneous:-
First class buildings shall be provided with first class sanitary and water supply fittings and electrical installations. A
plinth protection 1.50 m. wide of bricks sloped away from the building shall be provided all round the building.
Plinth Area Rate : Rs. 4500.00 to Rs. 5,500 per sq. meter. (Rates variable)
DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS
Detailed specifications give the method of constructions and specify the nature of work.
1. EXCAVATION OF FOUNDATIONS
Trenches shall be taken down to the exact width of the widest part of the foundation. The trenches where possible shall
always be taken down to a few cms into good hard soil. In order to ascertain the nature of the soil, it is essential to dig
trial pits at each of the four corners of the proposed site of a building before starting the construction.
The bottoms of all trenches shall be well watered and rammed. The soft and defective place shall be filled with
concrete or with any other hard material as directed by the Engineer-in-charge.
If, however, rocky surface is met, it shall be made as leveled as possible and any small in equalities shall be filed with
concrete.
Where great depths of bad soil are met with, such as black cotton soil, it may be necessary to resort to piles which may
be of wood, steel or reinforced concrete. Where the depth of the bad soil is not excessive, the foundations may consist
of beams or concrete arches of concrete pillars.
BC35
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
The marble flooring shall consists of marble tiles laid on 12mm thick mortar bed over the usual base courses of 10cm
base concrete 1:8:16 and 10cm said or stone filling in case of ground floor or over R.C.C slabs. In case of upper floors
the mortar bed shall be of 1:3 cement sand mortar.
The marble slabs should be of approved quality and thickness 20mm to 25mm with truly plane surface. The size of
marble slab shall be slightly oversize to permit cutting to actual size of tiles at the site of work.
28.1 Curing: During the progress of work and for 10days after laying, each section of floor shall be kept flooded.
Three clear days shall be allowed for setting before the pavement is walked over and no weight should be rested upon
the surface, until 7days after laying is completed, Polishing is done, as in case of Terrzo flooring and no first cutting is
usually needed.
29. ROOFING
First class mud roofing consists of two layers of tiles 30 x 15 x 4 cms. Resting on wooden or reinforced cement
concrete battens spaced 30 cm centre to centre. The top of tiles shall have 13mm thick cement plaster (1:4) covered
with two coats of
bitumen laid hot and 10 cm. thick earth, another 2.5 cm. layer of mud plaster to be given and finished with gobri
leeping. (45 tiles are required for one sq.m. of roof area).
Doors and windows may range from the humble ledged and braced doors and windows which are usually, fitted to out
houses, to the multiple, paneled and paneled and fitted fitted with ornate molding and paneled, and which are usually
associated with the entrances to important buildings. In all cases the construction shall be such as to ensure that the
door shall be satisfactory in service.
30.1 Timber
All doors, windows, clerestory windows and all almirahs with their chowkats shall be made of well seasoned deodar
wood or any other food timber free from sapwood, large knots, shakes cracks and other serious defects.
30.2 Panels
In case of paneled doors, the panels shall not be less than 13 mm thick.
In case of glazed doors, Sash Bars shall be of the full thickness of the leaf and 38 mm. in width and shall be molded
and mitered on the outside and rebated from inside. The width of the rebate shall be 13 mm.
The surface to be white washed must be clean and smooth and perfectly dry before applying white wash.
Each coat be allowed to dry before nest is applied. New plastered surface tone white washed, shall not be trowel led to
a glaxed surface otherwise white wash will not adhere.
The white wash shall be made from pure fat lime, brought to the work in an unsa0laked condition and termed as class
„C‟ lime. Water shall ne added to this lime in a tub, until the mixture is of a consistency of cream and allowed to rest
for 24 to 48 hours. The mixture shall then be strained through coarse cloth, suitable quantity of gum shall be added,
dissolved in hot water. This hot water shall be added at the rare of about 5 liters per kg. to produce kilky solution.
The colour wash shall be made from pure slaked fat lime and mixed with the necessary pigment to give the required
shade. The pigment shall be such as to be unaffected by lime.
The surface to be colour washed shall be given one coat of white wash and then one or two coats of colour washing.
Each coat of site or colour wash is to be allowed to dry and passed by the Engineer- in-Charge before the next is
applied.
BC41
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
In this method, the actual cost of the construction is found out and valuation is done after considering depreciations and
also caring for type of construction and design of the construction.
Under this sub-head, valuation of cinemas, theatres, hotels, banks, big shop etc. Located at sui9table places is done
where profit is of capitalized value. The capitalized value is calculated by multiplying year‟s purchase with net profit.
The net profit is worked out after deducting all possible outgoings and expenditures from the gross income. In such
cases the cost will be too high as compared with the cost of construction actually incurred.
This method is also used for working out the value of a building. In certain cases, some additions, alterations and
improvements are carried out which increases the cost of the building. The valuator should be careful while doing
evaluation about this.
In cases, when the building is still under development. In this case the future development of the building and profits
from it should be anticipated while evaluating.
Rent of a building is used as a base for calculating value of a building. In this method the net income by the war of way
of rent is found out after deducting all out goings from the gross income. A suitable rate of interest prevailing in the
market is also to be assumed of such type of buildings. Based on the above rate of interest, the Y‟ P. is obtained. The
net income is multiplied with Y‟s P. to obtain capitalized value.
FIXATION OF RENT
Every govt. official occupying govt. accommodation has to pay rent which is called standard rent or 10% of his pay,
whichever is less. The practice in P.W.D. is that when a net residential building is constructed, a ren … I statement is
attached with the estimate, which will give the calculations of rent to be fixed. The total expenditure incurred on the
construction i.e., cost of the building, cost of water supply, sanitary and electric installations etc. are calculated @6%
interest and divided it by 12, which will give rent per month. This is also known as Standard Rent.
Note: If a land is purchased for the construction of the building, its cost should also be added while calculating the
Rental statement.
In case of private properties, the Net income is worked out by dividing the capitalized value by a proper figure or
year‟s purchase. To get the gross rent, outgoings such as annual repairs, municipal which will give rent per month.
This is also known as standard rent.
In case of private properties, the rent depends upon the situation, demand, type of construction, accommodation and
facilities provided. For example a property used for Hotel, Cinema, Bank or Shop, located in the main market will fetch
more rent than actually calculated.
Example: The present value of a property is 20,000/-, Calculate the standard rent. The rate of interest may be assumed
as 6%.
Solution
BC50
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
Example: A residence is to be constructed over a plot of land measuring 600 sq.m. The byelaws permit a 30% of
covered area. The constructions to be done is of A class specifications. Also add for services @30% of the total cost.
The water supply is from a common source. Prepare rental statement also.
Example: An R.C.C framed structure building having estimated future life of 80 years, fetches a gross annual rent of
Rs.2200/- per month. Work out its capitalized value on the basis of 6% net yield. The rate of compound interest for
sinking fund may be 4%. The plot measures 400 sq.m. & cost of land may be taken as Rs.120/- per sq.m. The other out
goings are:
The plinth area of the building is 800 sq.m. & cost per sq.m. may be taken as Rs.500/- per sq.m.
BC51
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
48. The sloping concrete on the sides of the channel in a man hole is called bunching.
49. The space in the lower position of manhole provided for inspection is working chamber.
50. Flushing tank is divided to flush water into a sewer once in a day.
51. Device used in a pumping station to measure the quality of flow of sewer is called flow recorder.
52. Sewage which is under going treatment is called septic sewage.
53. The functions of grit chamber is to remove inorganic substances.
54. Fine grit in the sewage is removed in detritus tank.
55. The function of skinning tank is to remove oil and fatty sub stances
56. Settled particles of sewage in the sedimentation tank are sludge.
57. chemicals used for decomposing organic waste in the presence of air is flocculation
58. Process of decomposing organic waste in the presence of air is oxidation.
59. Biological treatment of sewage takes place in tricking fitter.
60. Function of sedimentation tank in sewage work is to remove suspended solids.
61. % of sludge mixed with sewage in primary settings is 20 – 40%
62. Large sized floating objects can be removed from sewage by screening.
63. Liquid sewage coming out of sedimentation tank is effluent.
64. The conversation of waste water from an industry can be done by recycling.
65. When sewage is disposed of into water bodies is called dilution.
66. Broad irrigation is an example of treating sewage by land treatment.
67. The burning of sludge is incineration.
1) Refuse – All the putrescrible and putrescible soild waste except body waste.
2) Rubbish – non putrescible waste includes paper, pins, glass, wood.
3) Garbage – rejecting food constituents.
4) In land filling waste is deposited in 0.9 – 4.5 m thick layers.
5) Biological composition of organic substances is composing.
6) Burning of refuse under controlled manner is incineration.
7) Incineration is generally for refuse.
8) The process of stacking refuse in piles, frequently turning and derating.
9) Suitably gives a product known as composting.
- Two pipe system – one conveys soil directly to the drain other convey waste water to the drain from
diff. floor.
- One pipe system – waste connections from sinks, baths, wash basins and soil pipe branches are
collected into main pipe.
BC75
BUILDING SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION & MANAGEMENT
Traffic:
Vehicles moving along a road or street
The number of people or the amount of goods moved from one place to another by road, rail, sea or air
Transportation:
Conveyance used for going from place to place
The process of transporting or carrying goods and passengers from one place to another.
Types of transport:
Road transport
Road is the path specially prepared for the movement of transport vehicles like carts, trucks, buses, lorries, etc
Bituminous road
Road surface formed of broken stone aggregate and bituminous binder is called bituminous road. The selection
of the type of bituminous surfacing, thickness of road surface and the method of laying the bituminous surface
depend on the volume of the traffic and the intensity of the load transmitted by the traffic
Definition of Terms
Travel time is the reciprocal of speed and is a simple measure of how ell a road network is operating
Average speed is the average of the spot speeds of all vehicles passing a given point on the highway
Time-mean speed is the average of the speed measurements at one point in space over a period of time
Space-mean speed is the average of the speed measurements at an instant of time over a space
Traffic volume (or) Volume of traffic Traffic volume is the number of vehicles moving in a specified direction on a
given lane or roadway that pass a given point or cross-section during specified unit of time. Traffic volume is expressed
as vehicles per hour or vehicles per day.
BC82
Introduction to Building Services
Introduction
to
Building Services
GATE Syllabus related to Building Services: Water supply; Sewerage and drainage systems; Sanitary fittings and fixtures;
Plumbing systems; Principles of internal and external drainage system; Principles of electrification of buildings; Intelligent
Buildings; Elevators and Escalators - standards and uses; Air-Conditioning systems; Firefighting Systems; Building Safety and
Security systems.
Contents
1. Heating system ……………………………………………………………………………..(page BS3)
2. Ventilation and air conditioning …………………………………………………....………(page BS8)
3. Soil and waste systems …………………………………………………………………….(page BS16)
4. Surface-water drainage ……………………………………………………………………(page BS22)
5. Lighting ……………………………………………………………………………………(page BS27)
6. Electrical installations …………………………………………………………….……….(page BS36)
7. Room acoustics ………………………………………………………………….………...(page BS45)
8. Fire protection ………………………………………………………………….………….(page BS51)
9. Mechanical transportation ………………………………………………….…….………..(page BS56)
This study manual is prepared from different source books & references on advance level building services. It‟s been
trimmed down to restrict around GATE syllabus. However to maintain the coverage of topic, some discussions may
have exceeded the syllabus. The aim of this manual is to introduce the concept of derivations and basic engineering.
Some topics on building services that may not be discussed here are better discussed in question-bank. You are
suggested to read this section along question-bank as complementary.
BS1
Introduction to Building Services
Introduction
Building Services are the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems in a building. For this reason they are also
called MEP services, for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing.
Mechanical Services
1. Firefighting Systems
2. Elevators & Escalators
3. HVAC Systems (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems)
4. Gas Supply Systems (such as for heating and cooking in residential buildings, or oxygen and nitrogen in
hospitals)
5. Compressed Air Systems used in industries
Electrical Services
1. Power Supply
2. Backup Power (such as diesel generators)
3. Emergency Power (such as battery-based uninterrupted power supply)
Plumbing Systems
1. Water Supply
2. Drainage of Wastes
3. Water Recycling Systems (these allow you to recover the water from your waste and re-use that water for low-
grade applications such as flushing)
4. Rainwater Harvesting
5. Storm Water Drainage
BS2
Introduction to Building Services
1. Heating System
The thermal resistance of a slab of homogeneous material is calculated by dividing its thickness by its thermal
conductivity:
l
R=
where R is the thermal resistance (m 2K/ W), l is the thickness of the slab (m) and λ is the thermal conductivity
(W/mK). Resistance to heat flow by a material depends on its thickness, density, water content and temperature.
The latter two parameters result from the material‟s location within the structure. Insulating materials are usually
protected from moisture and the possibility of physical damage as they are of low density and strength. The
thermal conductivity of masonry can be found from the bulk dry density and the moisture content, which depends
on whether it is exposed to the climate or is in a protected position.
Example 1.1 Find the thermal resistance of a 110 mm thickness of brickwork inner leaf.
l 0.11
R= = = 0.1774 m2K/W
0.62
Example 1.2 A designer wishes to replace 200 mm thick heavyweight concrete blocks in the design
of a wall with fibreboard having the same thermal resistance. What thickness of fibreboard could be
used?
Given, λ=1.63 W/mK for the heavyweight concrete block and λ=0.6 W/mK for the fiberboard.
Thermal transmittance is found by adding the thermal resistances of adjacent material layers, boundary layers
of air and air cavities, and then taking the reciprocal. Boundary layer or sur- face film thermal resistances
result from the near-stationary air layer surrounding each part of a building, with an allowance for the
radiant heat transfer at the surface. Heat transmission across cavities depends upon their width, ventilation and
surface emissivities. The external surface resistance depends upon the building‟s exposure.
Example 1.3 An external wall consisting of 105 mm brick, 50 mm unventilated cavity, 105 mm brick
and 13 mm dense plaster has a severe exposure. Find its U value.
BS3
Introduction to Building Services
Example 2.4
Some engineers prefer to calculate the mass flow rate of air flow through the air-conditioned space. This is
easily found by multiplying the volume flow rate by the density of air at that location, thus,
Air mass flow rate does not change with temperature, volume flow does.
Between 4 and 20 air changes/h are likely to create fresh air circulation through an office without causing
draughts and should be suitable for the application.
Example 2.5
A room has a heat loss in winter of 32 kW and a supply air flow rate of 3.5 m 3/s. The room air
temperature is to be maintained at 22◦C. Calculate the supply air temperature to be used.
BS11
Introduction to Building Services
In this example:
The heated or cooled air supply may also have its humidity modified by an air-conditioning plant so that the
percentage saturation of the room air is controlled. A water spray or steam injector can be used for
humidification. The refrigeration cooling coil lowers the air temperature below its dew-point to condense the
moisture out of the air.
In a psychrometric chart if gr and gs are the moisture contents of the room and the supply air respectively,
then a heat balance can be written for the latent heat gain absorbed by the previously calculated supply air flow
rate Q:
latent heat gain to room = latent heat equivalent of moistures removed by the conditioned air
Psychrometric chart
BS12
Introduction to Building Services
Example 2.6
The people in the office in example 5.4 each produce 40 w of latent heat. Find the supply air moisture
content to be maintained, given that the room air is to be at 50% saturation and the corresponding
moisture content gr is 0.008905 kg H2O/kg air.
Psychrometric cycles
Heating and cooling processes in air-conditioning equipment can be represented on the psychrometric chart in
the following manner.
Heating
Heating is performed with a low- or high-pressure hot-water, possibly steam, finned pipe heating coil, electric
resistance heater or fuel-fired heat exchanger. 5.5. SE is the specific enthalpy, total heat content, of the air, as
read from the chart.
Cooling
Cooling is performed by passing chilled water, brine solution or refrigerant through a finned pipe coil. When
the coolant temperature is below the air dew-point, condensation occurs and the air will be dehumidified.
Mixing
Mixing of two airstreams occurs when the fresh air intake joins the recirculated room air. The quantity of each
air stream is regulated by multi-leaf dampers operated by electric or pneu- matic motors under the direction of
an automatic control system. Varying the intake of fresh air between the minimum amount during peak
summer and winter conditions and 100% when free atmospheric cooling can be achieved during mild weather
and summer evenings can result in minimizing the energy costs of the heating and refrigeration plants.
Humidification
In winter, incoming fresh air with a low moisture content can be humidified by steam injection, banks of water
sprays, evaporation from a heated water tank or a spinning disc atomizer. A preheater low-pressure hot-water
coil usually precedes the humidifier to increase the water- holding capacity of the air. This also offsets the
BS13
Introduction to Building Services
reduction in temperature of the air owing to transference of some of its sensible heat into latent energy, which
is needed for the evaporation process.
A temperature sensor in the humidified air is used as a dew-point control by modulating the preheater
power to produce air at a consistent moisture content throughout the winter. For comfort air conditioning, the
room percentage saturation will be 50% ± 10%. This permits a wide range of humidifier performance
characteristics.
The humidification process often follows a line of constant wet-bulb temperature. The water spray
temperature is varied to alter the slope of the line on the psychrometric chart. The preheating and
humidification stages have been omitted, as close humidity control is deemed not to be needed in this case.
Some reheating of the cooled and dehumidified air will be necessary because of practical limitations of
cooling coil design. Part of the boiler plant remains operational during the summer. Reheating can be avoided
by using a cooling coil bypass which mixes air M and air C to produce the correct supply condition. Heating and
refrigeration plant capacities are found from the enthalpy changes and specific volume, read from the chart, and
the air volume flow rate:
Further Examples:
Q. A 20 ton air conditioning unit has an average electrical load of 30 Kw. What is the EER rating?
Solution:
The Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) is a standard measure of air conditioning efficiency during a “normal” annual
cooling hour
EER = BTU of Cooling / Watt Hours of Electric Energy Input
1 Ton = 12,000 BTUH
EER Rating = 8
BS14
Introduction to Building Services
Q. The difference between dry bulb temperature and wet bulb temperature, is called
A. dry bulb depression
B. wet bulb depression
C. dew point depression
D. degree of saturation
Q. As relative humidity decreases, the dew point temperature will be __________ wet bulb temperature.
A. same as
B. lower than
C. higher man
D. none
Q. The wet bulb temperature lines, on the psychrometric chart, are curved lines.
A. True
B. False
C. Vertical lines
D. Horizontal lines
BS15
Introduction to Building Services
Storage
An artificial pond or lake, or even an underground storage tank, will be necessary if the expected run-off from
a curtilage is at a greater rate than could be accommodated by a sewer or watercourse.
Watercourse
The relevant local authorities may allow the disposal of surface-water into watercourses. Expected flow rates at
both normal and flood water levels must be established.
Further examples
Q. The surface Run-off is the quantity of water
Q. What term refers to the total amount of material carried by the water of a stream or river?
A. Capacity.
B. Competence.
C. Discharge.
D. Load.
Notes:
Capacity is the maximum load of solid particles that a stream can carry.
Competence is the maximum size of particle that a stream can carry.
Discharge is the rate of water flow in a stream.
Load is the rate of sediment flow in a stream.
BS26
Introduction to Building Services
5. Lighting
Artificial illumination for both functional and decorative purposes is a major consumer of primary energy, and
developed civilizations have become used to very high illumination standards with consequently high electricity
consumption. The use of daylight is encouraged in order to reduce fuel consumption for lighting but this occurs
at the expense of heating and cooling energy consumption at the building outer envelope, which is in contact
with the external environment. A compromise solution is inevitable, and the building services engineer is at the
centre of the calculations needed to minimize total energy consumption for all usages.
The factors involved in determining illumination requirements are discussed in relation to lighting levels for
various tasks and the possible use of daylight. Lighting terms are introduced as are glare considerations. The
lumen design method is demonstrated for office accommodation. Lamp colour-rendering is discussed, and the
use of luminaires with air-conditioning systems.
Lamp types, their uses and control arrangements are explained.
Natural illumination by penetration of direct solar and diffuse sky visible radiation requires correctly designed
passive architecture. Large glazed areas may provide sufficient day lighting at some distance into the building
but can also cause glare, overheating and high heating and cooling energy costs.
The other extreme of vertical narrow slot windows limits energy flows while causing very unequal lighting
levels near the room‟s perimeter. Reflected illumination from other buildings, particularly from those having
reflective glazing or metallic architectural features, may cause annoyance. A careful consideration of all the,
largely conflicting, variable elements is necessary if a comfortable internal environment is to be produced.
Artificial lighting is provided to supplement daylight on a temporary or permanent basis. Local control of
lights by manual and/or automatic switches aids economy in electricity consumption. The colours rendered by
objects on the working plane should match the colours under daylight. The working plane may be a desk,
drawing board or display area.
Illumination intensity, illuminance, measured in lux on the working plane, is determined by the size of detail
to be discerned, the contrast of the detail with its background, the accuracy and speed with which the task
must be performed, the age of the worker, the type of space within which the task is to be performed and the
length of time continuously spent on the task. The working plane is the surface being illuminated. Other areas
are lit by overspill from it and by reflections from other room surfaces.
Higher levels of illuminance may be provided for particularly fine detail tasks at the area of use by local, or
task, illumination: for example, up to 3000 lx for inspection of small electronic components and 50 000 lx on a
hospital operating table. Bright sunlight provides up to 100 000 lx. Local spot lighting for display purposes and
exterior illumination are used to accentuate particular features of the working plane.
Permanent supplementary artificial lighting of interiors (PSALI) has become common in modern office
accommodation, shops and public buildings.
The heat generated by permanent lighting can be extracted from the light fitting (luminaire) by passing the
ventilation extract air through it, thus raising the air temperature to 30–35◦C, and then supplying this heated
BS27
Introduction to Building Services
Further Examples
Notes: Light is the cause and illumination is the effect of light on which it falls i.e., when light falls upon the surface,
this process is called illumination. It is given as no. of lumen falling on a surface per unit area. It is expressed in lux or
meter candle.
Q. ___________________________ factor is defined as the ratio of the illumination when everything is clean to
illumination under normal working conditions.
A. Depreciation. B. Maintenance. C. Utilization D. Absorption factor.
Notes: Due to the accumulation of the dirt, dust and smoke on the lamps they emits less light as compared to when they
are new. Similarly walls and ceiling they reflect less light when are cover with dust. Hence to design a source of light
we need to consider the depreciation factor. It is usually greater than 1.
Q. A 1000 W bulb fitted with a reflector illuminates an area of 3 m x 3 m with an average illumination of 450
lux. If the bulb has and efficiency of 9 lumens / watt the efficiency of the reflector is
A. 70 %. B. 30 %. C. 20 %. D. 45 %.
Notes: Total lumen out by the bulb = 1000 W*9 lumen /W = 9000 lumens.
So, lux produced = (9000 lumen)/9 m2 = 1000 lux
Lux produced by the reflector = 450 lux
Therefore, efficiency of the reflector = 450/1000 = 0.45 = 45%
Q. From a uniform light source of 300 candle power, there exists a plane surface 15 m below. The value of
illumination on the plane surface when the luminous flux rays are inclined at an angle of 30 to the surface is
A. 2.87 lumens. B. 1.53 lumens. C. 5 lumens. D. 4.06 lumens.
BS34
Introduction to Building Services
This demonstrates the advantages of high-voltage transmission of electrical power as smaller cable sizes can be
used for the long distances involved.
Example 6.6
Find the maximum lengths of 1, 1.5 and 2.5 mm 2 copper cable which can be used on a 240 v
circuit to a 3 kw immersion heater.
BS40
Introduction to Building Services
Sound power and pressure levels are measured over a range of frequencies that are representative of the response
of the human ear to sounds. The unit of measurement of sound is the Bel (B). The smallest increment of sound
that the human ear can detect is one-tenth of a Bel, one decibel (dB). This means that the smallest change in
sound level that is perceptible by the human ear is 1 dB, so any decimal places that are produced from
calculations using sound power or pressure level are not relevant. A calculated sound level of 84.86 can only
be 84 dB as the 0.86 decimal portion is not detectable by the ear. The „A‟ scale of measurement gives a
weighting to each frequency in the range 20 Hz to 20 kHz in the same ratio as can be heard. For
example, the human ear is more sensitive to sounds at 1000 Hz than at higher frequencies.
The acoustic output power of a machine is termed its sound power level, SWL dB. Think of SWL as the
sound watts level of the acoustic output power of the machine. The value of acoustic power in watts from
building services plant is very small, much less than 1 watt of power. The word level is used because it is not
the actual value of the number of watts that is normally used; it is the sound level produced in acoustic units of
measurement, dB, that are taken for practical use. The manufacturer of the plant provides the sound power
levels produced by a particular machine from test results and predictions for known ranges of similar
equipment. The sound power level of a machine at the range of frequencies from 125 to 8000 Hz is required by
the building services design engineer in order to assess the acoustic affects upon the occupied spaces of the
building. The overall sound power level for a range of frequencies is also quoted by the manufacturer of a
machine.
A sound field is created by the sound power output from a machine within a plant room. It is made up of a direct
sound field, that is, directly radiated sound, and a reverberant sound field, that is, general sound that reflects
uniformly from the hard surfaces around the room. The direct sound field reduces with the inverse square of the
distance from the sound source and is not normally of importance as it only applies to very short distances from
the sound source. The reverberant sound field results from the average value of the sound pressure waves
passing around the room. These waves try to escape from the plant room and find their way into the occupied
spaces where the air-conditioning engineer is attempting to create a quiet and comfortable environment. The
sound pressure level, SPL dB, of the total sound field, direct plus reverberant, that is generated within a room
from a sound source of sound power level SWL dB, is found from
where,
SPL = sound pressure level produced in room dB
SWL = sound power level of acoustic source dB
log = logarithm to base 10 dimensionless
Q = geometric directivity factor dimensionless
r = distance from sound source to the receiver m
R = room sound absorption constant m2
BS46
Introduction to Building Services
sound source, such as two walls and a ceiling, Q is 8. Distance r is that from the sound source to the receiving
person, surface or measurement location, such as an air outlet duct from the plant room or outdoor air grille.
Absorption of sound
The room sound absorption constant, R m2, is found from the total surface area of the enclosing room, S m2,
and the mean sound absorption coefficient of the room surfaces, α, at each of the relevant frequencies:
where
where
Materials absorb different amounts of sound energy at each frequency due to the frequency of natural vibration of
their fibres and the method of their construction. Stiff, dense materials, such as brickwork walls, absorb sound by
molecular vibration. Highly porous materials, such as glass wool, have large air passageways that allow the
sound waves to penetrate the whole of the material thickness quickly. The strands of glass wool are vibrated by
the sound waves and the sound energy is dissipated as heat. Dense materials are very efficient at absorbing
acoustic energy. The reduction in sound level between the surfaces of a sound barrier is proportional to the mass
of the barrier.
Reverberation time
Reverberation time is the time in seconds taken for a sound to decrease in value by 60 dB. This effectively means
the time taken for the sound source to decay to an imperceptible level, as a sound pressure of 30 dB is very quiet
to the human ear. An echo is produced by sound waves bouncing, or reverberating, from one or more hard
surfaces and this may last for several seconds. A room that has a long reverberation time sounds noisy, lively and
it allows echoes. A room having a short reverberation time, less than 1 s, sounds dull and there is no echo. The
ultimate in short reverberation time is found in the anechoic chamber that is used for the acoustic testing of
equipment. The walls and ceiling of the chamber are lined with thick acoustic absorbent wedges. The floor is a
suspended wire mesh, and beneath the floor more absorbent wedges complete the coverage of all the room
surfaces. The sound source radiates outward and upon reaching the surfaces is instantly absorbed, allowing no
reverberation or echo. This is as close to a free field test method as can be achieved because there is no
reverberant field caused by reflected sound waves.
An interesting example of a large semi-anechoic chamber is the car testing facility at Gaydon, England. The four
walls and the ceiling are covered with acoustic wedges, while the floor is a plain concrete surface. This simulates
an open road, hemispherical acoustic field under laboratory repeatable conditions (CIBSE, 1995).
BS47
Introduction to Building Services
Escalators and passenger conveyors are primarily used where large numbers of passengers form surges at
discharge times from offices, railway underground stations and airport terminals.
Crowd flow, in plan, is similar to two-dimensional turbulent fluid behaviour and design for passenger routes
can be regarded in a similar manner. Escalators provide suitable transport for all ages, laden or unladen. Their
operating direction is reversible to correspond to peak travel times. Tread widths are from 0.60 to 1.050 m. For
a given quality of service, they require less horizontal floor space than a lift. The angle of inclination is
normally 30◦, but 35◦ can be used for a vertical
rise of less than 6.0 m and a speed of less than 0.5 m/s. Speeds of up to 0.75 m/s are permissible as this is the
maximum safe entry and exit velocity.
Passenger conveyors
Passenger conveyors are moving pavements which can carry wheeled vehicles such as shopping or luggage
trolleys, prams or wheelchairs. Distances of up to 300 m can be travelled at speeds of up to 0.90 m/s with an
8◦ slope. Combinations of grade, horizontal and up grade can be
included, as in a road underpass. An S-shaped track overcame the limitation of entry and exit speed restriction
on journey time by having its floor constructed from metal plates which slide relative to each other. The plates
bunch together at the entry and exit curves of the track but spread out along the central straight which may be
up to 1000 m length. Travel speed along the straight can be five times the entry speed. An electric motor of
19 kW drives the conveyor through a reduction gearbox and chain and 7200 passengers per hour can be carried.
A concrete ramp forms the structural base for the entire conveyor. Emergency stop buttons are provided.
Driving machinery
The lift car and its load are partly balanced with a counterweight and this reduces motor power consumption.
Motor power is used to overcome friction, acceleration, inertia and the unbalanced load during lifting. Power is
transmitted to the traction sheave through a gearbox, two-speed or variable-speed motor driving sets,
sometimes using direct current motors. The motor and driving sheave are mounted on a load-bearing concrete
base at the top of the lift shaft. Considerable heat output is created and lift motor room natural or mechanical
ventilation is essential plus in some cases, mechanical cooling from an air-handling unit, in hot climates.
The lift motor room must be maintained at between 10 ◦C and 40◦C by natural or mechanical heating and
ventilation if necessary. This ensures a condensation-free atmosphere in winter and adequate motor cooling in
summer. A smoke extract ventilation grille of 0.10 m 2 free area must be provided at the top of each lift shaft.
Some noise is produced in the motor room and its escape from this area is limited by a vibration-isolating
concrete machine base and the concrete construction of the lift motor room. The external noise level produced is
considered in conjunction with nearby room usage to assess whether additional attenuation is required.
Air bypass holes, as large and as frequent as possible, cross-connect adjacent lift shafts to allow car-induced
draughts to circulate with minimum restriction. An emergency electrical power generator is often installed so
that, in the event of mains failure, one lift at a time can be run to the ground floor and the doors opened. One
lift can then be made available for the emergency services and emergency lighting is provided.
END
References:
BS57
INTRODUCTION TO BEAM MECHANICS
Introduction:
The advantage of plotting a variation of shear force F and bending moment M in a beam as a function of „x' measured
from one end of the beam is that it becomes easier to determine the maximum absolute value of shear force and
bending moment.
Further, the determination of value of M as a function of „x' becomes of paramount importance so as to determine the
value of deflection of beam subjected to a given loading.
A shear force diagram can be constructed from the loading diagram of the beam. In order to draw this, first the
reactions must be determined always. Then the vertical components of forces and reactions are successively summed
from the left end of the beam to preserve the mathematical sign conventions adopted. The shear at a section is simply
equal to the sum of all the vertical forces to the left of the section.
When the successive summation process is used, the shear force diagram should end up with the previously calculated
shear (reaction at right end of the beam. No shear force acts through the beam just beyond the last vertical force or
reaction. If the shear force diagram closes in this fashion, then it gives an important check on mathematical
calculations.
The bending moment diagram is obtained by proceeding continuously along the length of beam from the left hand end
and summing up the areas of shear force diagrams giving due regard to sign. The process of obtaining the moment
diagram from the shear force diagram by summation is exactly the same as that for drawing shear force diagram from
load diagram.
It may also be observed that a constant shear force produces a uniform change in the bending moment, resulting in
straight line in the moment diagram. If no shear force exists along a certain portion of a beam, then it indicates that
there is no change in moment takes place. It may also further observe that dm/dx= F therefore, from the fundamental
theorem of calculus the maximum or minimum moment occurs where the shear is zero. In order to check the validity of
the bending moment diagram, the terminal conditions for the moment must be satisfied. If the end is free or pinned, the
computed sum must be equal to zero. If the end is built in, the moment computed by the summation must be equal to
the one calculated initially for the reaction. These conditions must always be satisfied.
Illustrative problems:
In the following sections some illustrative problems have been discussed so as to illustrate the procedure for drawing
the shear force and bending moment diagrams
Solution:
At a section a distance x from free end consider the forces to the left, then F = -W (for all values of x) -ve sign means
the shear force to the left of the x-section are in downward direction and therefore negative
Taking moments about the section gives (obviously to the left of the section)
M = -Wx (-ve sign means that the moment on the left hand side of the portion is in the anticlockwise direction and is
therefore taken as –ve according to the sign convention)
so that the maximum bending moment occurs at the fixed end i.e. M = -W l
From equilibrium consideration, the fixing moment applied at the fixed end is Wl and the reaction is W. the shear force
and bending moment are shown as,
BM1
INTRODUCTION TO BEAM MECHANICS
I Beams:
The moment of inertia about the X-axis of an I-beam can be calculated in a similar manner.
…and calculate the moment of inertia about the X-axis similar to the box beam
Remember there are two negative areas!
H Beams:
Can we use the “positive-negative area” approach to calculate the Moment of Inertia about the X-axis (Ix) on
an H-Beam?
They don‟t align on the X-axis. Therefore, we can‟t use the “positive-negative approach” to calculate Ix!
We could use it to calculate Iy…but that‟s beyond the scope of the syllabus.
We need to use a different approach.
Divide the H-beam into three positive areas.
Notice the centroids for all three areas are aligned on the X-axis.
BM21
INTRODUCTION TO BEAM MECHANICS
References:
http://www.mae.ncsu.edu/ssml/Materials/MAE314/MAE%20314%20chpt%206.pdf
http://nptel.ac.in/courses/Webcourse-contents/IIT-
ROORKEE/strength%20of%20materials/lects%20&%20picts/image/lect23%20and%2024/lecture%2023%20and
%2024.htm
http://homepages.wmich.edu/~vandenbr/ME2570/mechanics.pdf
http://www.freestudy.co.uk/Eng%20Science%20HNC%20Unit%202/OUTCOME1/OUTCOME1%20T1.pdf
http://www.learnengineering.org/2013/08/shear-force-bending-moment-diagram.html
BM22
General Aptitude
GATE SYLLABUS 2018: General Aptitude (15 marks)
Numerical Ability: Numerical computation, numerical estimation, numerical reasoning and data interpretation.
Verbal Ability: English grammar, sentence completion, verbal analogies, word groups, instructions, critical reasoning
and verbal deduction.
In the exams, you may encounter challenging numerical reasoning questions. Such challenging numerical reasoning
questions require problem-sloving heuristics (set of rules) in addition to the four basic operations (addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division). Below are the 11 useful heuristics you can adopt to solve difficult questions.
1. Use Diagrams / Models
2. Act it Out
3. Use Before & After
4. Use Systematic Listing
5. Look for Patterns
6. Work Backwards
7. Use Guess & Check
8. Simplify the Problem
9. Make Supposition
10. Solve Part of the Problem
11. Paraphrase the Problem
1. In the first 10 overs of a cricket game, the run rate was only 3.2. What should be the run rate in the remaining 40
overs to reach the target of 282 runs?
A.6.25 B. 6.5
C. 6.75 D.7
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
282 - (3.2 x 10) 250
Required run rate = 40 = 40 = 6.25
2. The captain of a cricket team of 11 members is 26 years old and the wicket keeper is 3 years older. If the ages of
these two are excluded, the average age of the remaining players is one year less than the average age of the whole
team. What is the average age of the team?
A. 23 years B. 24 years
C. 25 years D. None of these
Answer: Option A
A. 35 years B. 40 years
C. 50 years D. None of these
Answer: Option B
Explanation: Sum of the present ages of husband, wife and child = (27 x 3 + 3 x 3) years = 90 years.
GA1
229. ACCOLADE (c) likely to be late (d) inspite to win
(a) welcome (b) award 249. AMNESTY
(c) affection (d) arrival (a) revolt (b) privilege
230. INDIGENCE (c) farewell (d) pardon
(a) poverty (b) prosperity 250. HIATUS
(c) suffering (d) scarcity (a) gap (b) contempt
231. DISTINCTION (c) tight (d) narrow
(a) degree (b) difference 251. KITTY
(c) diffusion (d) disagreement (a) romantic (b) cheap
232. STALEMATE (c) pooled fund (d) drowsy
(a) deadly (b) dead-end 252. FRAGMENT
(c) deadlock (d) dead-drunk (a) dissection (b) cut
233. REQUITE (c) crumble (d) scrap
(a)
(c)
repay
refuse
(b) demand
(d) requisition 253. CADGE
(a) beg (b) hide
234. COMPENDIUM (c) bicker (d) imprison
(a)
(c)
glossary
index
(b) reference
(d) summary 254. EXORCISE
(a) expel (b) expose
235. VAPID (c) explain (d) mock
(a) virtuous (b) priceless
(c) dull 255. AMBITION
236. OVERSTRUNG (a) plan (b) proclamation
(a) active (b) energetic (c) desire (d) decision
256. TAINT
(c) concerned (d) too sensitive
237. FRATERNISE (a) soil (b) stain
(a) associate (b) organise (c) dirty (d) corrupt
(c) expel (d) cheat 257. PROMISCUOUS
238. CATALOGUE (a) casual (b) selective
(a) menu (b) record (c) discriminate (d) pure
(c) list (d) pamphlet 258. KEMP
239. OVERSTRUNG (a) professional (b) parasite
(a) concerned (b) active (c) tent (d) champion
(c) sensitive (d) energetic 259. UNDULATE
240. GREGARIOUS (a) retard (b) decrease
(a) sociable (b) turbulent (c) wave (d) flood
(c) pugnacious (d) clumsy 260. VORACIOUS
241. ACCOST (a) quick (b) angry
(a) hesitate (b) speculate (c) hungry (d) wild
(c) insult (d) address 261. PESTER
242. DEFUNCT (a) console (b) disturb
(a) active (b) clever (c) gratify (d) torture
(c) alive (d) extinct 262. REDUNDANT
243. SAGACITY (a) rude (b) brutish
(a) morality (b) wisdom (c) superfluous (d) coarse
(c) sanity (d) uprightness 263. INEVITABLE
244. ANGST (a) unavoidable (b) probable
(a) anxiety (b) pride (c) expected (d) fixed
(c) modesty (d) simplicity 264. VENDETTA
245. KULAK (a) feud (b) friendship
(a) fortress (b) priest (c) mortal (d) threat
(c) insane (d) farmer 265. SMEAR
246. SALACITY (a) encourage (b) quarrel
(a) recession (b) indecency (c) avoid (d) mark
(c) depression (d) bliss 266. CALUMNIATE
247. UMBRAGE (a) approve (b) slander
(a) sensitive (b) shabbiness (c) aarn (d) dealy
(c) premature (d) resentment 267. PARVENU
248. EMULATE (a) pretender (b) privileged
(a) trying to do as well (c) royal (d) intelligent
(b) enable
GA19
URBAN PLANNING & DESIGN
Introduction
One of major reasons to score low in GATE exam for B.Arch students is that few are fully aware that GATE AR is for
both of B.Arch & B.Plan. So, a quite well number of questions would be asked in exam covering B. Planning section.
This is a reason you have this booklet. Please note that we have covered in depth the section about town planners,
theories and their contribution in Question-Bank itself. Therefore we have minimized those sections here.
Urban planning and design more of theories, stories, concepts etc. We have randomly selected topics from the syllabus
and put into concise and bullet form as far as possible.
Section 5: Urban Design Concepts and theories of urban design; Public Perception; Townscape; Public Realm; Urban
design interventions for sustainable development and transportation; Historical and modern examples of urban design;
Public spaces, character, spatial qualities and Sense of Place; Elements of urban built environment – urban form,
spaces, structure, pattern, fabric, texture, grain etc; Principles, tools and techniques of urban design; Urban renewal and
conservation; Site planning; Landscape design; Development controls – FAR, densities and building byelaws.
Section 6: Urban Planning and Housing Planning process; Types of plans - Master Plan, City Development Plan,
Structure Plan, Zonal Plan, Action Area Plan, Town Planning Scheme, Regional Plan; Salient concepts, theories and
principles of urban planning; Sustainable urban development; Emerging concepts of cities - Eco-City, Smart City,
Transit Oriented Development (TOD), SEZ, SRZ etc.
City Planning
Housing; Concepts, principles and examples of neighbourhood; Housing typologies; Slums; Affordable Housing;
Housing for special areas and needs; Residential densities; Standards for housing and community facilities; National
Housing Policies, Programs and Schemes.
3
URBAN PLANNING & DESIGN
Urban Design
Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules related to urban design. A structural beam in a building must meet
certain requirements for that building to stand. A road must be built in a certain way to avoid future potholes.
Urban design, however, is not a series of rules and standards. Rather, it is a group of concepts that, once understood,
can lead to a fresh way of perceiving streets, buildings, and spaces -- and insights into why certain places are appealing
and others are not. With urban design concepts in mind you should be able to better question architectural presentations
and consider the impact of development proposals on your town's character.
When walking down the street you see a place that appears interesting and inviting. Across the street you glance at
another area but it looks unappealing and uncomfortable. Which place would you rather be? That‘s easy to answer. The
more difficult question is: Why? What is it that creates a place that people like and use? Understanding some of the
ideas of urban design can help us better answer this question. Urban design does not have to be a mystery. Knowing a
few important concepts can make it easier for you to observe what works – and what doesn‘t – as you stroll through
your town, or as you review a project application.
Urban design is concerned with the arrangement, appearance and function of our suburbs, towns and cities. It is both a
process and an outcome of creating localities in which people live, engage with each other, and engage with the
physical place around them.
Urban design involves many different disciplines including planning, development, architecture, landscape
architecture, engineering, economics, law and finance, among others.
Urban design operates at many scales, from the macro scale of the urban structure (planning, zoning, transport and
infrastructure networks) to the micro scale of street furniture and lighting. When fully integrated into policy and
planning systems, urban design can be used to inform land use planning, infrastructure, built form and even the socio-
demographic mix of a place.
4
URBAN PLANNING & DESIGN
Smart City
The first question is what is meant by a ‗smart city‘. The answer is, there is no universally accepted definition of a
smart city. It means different things to different people. The conceptualisation of Smart City, therefore, varies from
city to city and country to country, depending on the level of development, willingness to change and reform,
resources and aspirations of the city residents. A smart city would have a different connotation in India than, say,
Europe. Even in India, there is no one way of defining a smart city.
Some definitional boundaries are required to guide cities in the Mission. In the imagination of any city dweller in
India, the picture of a smart city contains a wish list of infrastructure and services that describes his or her level of
aspiration. To provide for the aspirations and needs of the citizens, urban planners ideally aim at developing the
entire urban eco-system, which is represented by the four pillars of comprehensive development-institutional,
physical, social and economic infrastructure. This can be a long term goal and cities can work towards developing
such comprehensive infrastructure incrementally, adding on layers of ‗smartness‘.
In the approach of the Smart Cities Mission, the objective is to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and
give a decent quality of life to its citizens, a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‗Smart‘ Solutions.
The focus is on sustainable and inclusive development and the idea is to look at compact areas, create a replicable
model which will act like a light house to other aspiring cities. The
Smart Cities Mission of the Government is a bold, new initiative. It is meant to set examples that can be replicated
both within and outside the Smart City, catalysing the creation of similar Smart Cities in various regions and parts of
the country.
As far as Smart Solutions are concerned, an illustrative list is given below. This is not, however, an exhaustive list,
and cities are free to add more applications.
29
URBAN PLANNING & DESIGN
The concept of Smart City to public came after PM Modi had announced his vision to set up 100 smart cities across
the country soon after his government was sworn into power mid last year. Since then a race has been on among
cities to land on the list that the ministry of urban development is compiling. The 100 smart cities mission intends to
promote adoption of smart solutions for efficient use of available assets, resources and infrastructure. Following are
illustrations show how the concept of smart city has evolved:
(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/what-is-a-smart-city-and-how-it-will-work/listshow/47128930.cms)
30
URBAN PLANNING & DESIGN
5.. Smart Cities Council India has been formed 6.. All states will get at least one smart city
7.. How it will work 8.. The basic criteria for selection of a
city/municipal area
1. Retrofitting 500 acres: Planning in an existing built-up area in a municipal ward, preparing plan with citizen
participation (example: Connaught Place in Delhi, Bhendi Bazar in Mumbai).
2. Greenfield 250 acres: Introduce smart solutions in a vacant area using innovative planning (example: land
pooling/land reconstitution in Outer Delhi, GIFT city in Gujarat).
3. Redevelopement 50 acres: Replacement of existing built-up area and preparing a new layout plan with
enhanced infrastructure by way of mixed land use (example: Kidwai Nagar in Delhi).
31
URBAN PLANNING & DESIGN
Eco City
The term ‗eco-city‘ surfaced in the 1970s, when a US-based Image: One of the principles of eco-cities is a
movement known as Urban Ecology first used it. Founded in modal shift of private car usage to public
California, the group launched the journal, The Urban
transportation. Promoting cycling for short-
Ecologist. ―An eco-city is an ecologically healthy city. That
also means the city design is strongly informed by distance trips can help to encourage that shift.
knowledge of ecology and its design principles,‖ Image © Dylan Passmore.
However, many claim the term today depicts a city that adheres to the three core pillars of sustainability:
environmental stewardship, social equality and economic prosperity.
Today we know much more about designing and building eco-cities than we did in the 1990s. At that time
sustainability was more or less about being environmentally sustainable. Today, however, sustainability is much
more recognised and mainstream,‖
―We have come to recognise that sustainability has three dimensions: environment and resources; social and cultural
cohesion; and economic and financial dimension. We have also realised that we should aim for creating cities for
people – cities that are designed and built for the human scale and are vibrant,‖ he adds.
Eco-cities come in all shapes and sizes. Research conducted in 2011 by the International Eco-Cities Initiative claims
there are more than 170 such places globally, with this number set to rise over the next decade. Furthermore, the
size, scale and types of eco-cities vary widely. In the developing world, for instance, purpose-built eco-cities are
being built at breakneck pace, whereas in the West, urban regeneration is more common.
―Greenfield development and retrofitting both have their advantages and disadvantages. In the developed world of
Europe, the US and Japan, greenfield is becoming rarer, so in these regions it is more about retrofitting. In the
developing world of Asia and Latin America, greenfield development is happening in many places,‖.
The urbanist names the IBA Hamburg project in Germany and Masdar City in the UAE. It is said that the former
exemplifies a hybrid model that mixes retrofitting with building on new land, while the latter demonstrates the
ability to build a sustainable city in a harsh desert climate
However, behind these principals, a host of other factors influence the modern eco-city. Affordability and demand
on the parts of the general public and government policymakers are two notable factors, as are energy-and
resource-efficiency and land conservation.
―People want eco-cities only if they can choose freely and can afford to pay for them. Wise politicians and
business people listen to their constituents and clientele, and strive to deliver what the people want. As energy
prices go up eco-cities will become more competitive. In addition, land scarcity is also driving up prices on
building rights, making the densification process unavoidable,‖ .
32
URBAN PLANNING & MANAGEMENT
predominantly physical in character, such as land use maps, zoning density controls, building regulations and
planning standards.
NEW TOWNS
An appropriate form for the future city has no yet emerged, but serious attention has been directed to the nature of
the modern city in two major areas: the internal urban structure – redevelopment –and planned decentralization – the
New Towns.
93
URBAN PLANNING & MANAGEMENT
References:
https://www.leekuanyewworldcityprize.com.sg/features_eco-cities.htm
http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/ecocities-of-tomorrow-an-interview-with-richard-register.html
http://www.westminster.ac.uk/?a=119909
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=45165#.Uvm7m2S1bOU
http://www.statisticbrain.com/total-number-of-cities-in-the-world
http://www.urbanecology.org.au/eco-cities/what-is-an-ecocity/
Note on “Functions, Duties and Norms in the planning department” by Delhi Development Authority.
[http://www.dda.org.in/about_us/pop_ups/MAJOR%20FUNCTIONS%20(12.12.pdf]
Publication by Physical Planning department at School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi - “Proceedings of
Panel discussion on Local Area Plan (case study – ward 144) and Housing provisions in the context of DDA housing
scheme 2010”. [http://spa.ac.in/Proceedings-edited-27-1-11.doc]
Publication by School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi – "Alternative approaches to Master plan."
[http://www.spa.ac.in/Alternative-to-Master-Plan-Apporach.pdf]
Major reference – friends and faculty at School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi
http://www.tabloid11.in/2013/06/what-is-zonal-plan-what-exactly-is.html
http://www.museumofthecity.org/project/hippodamus-and-early-planned-cities/
https://henrikvaleur.wordpress.com/2012/02/19/chandigarh-an-indian-adventure/
http://academic.emporia.edu/aberjame/remote/lectures/lec01.htm
http://plannersweb.com/2001/07/an-introduction-to-urban-design/
http://urbandesign.org.au/what-is-urban-design/
Disclaimer: We have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was
correct at press time, the author and the team do not assume and hereby disclaim any
liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions,
whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.
Terms & conditions are applied. All references are sincerely acknowledged.
94
Introduction
This is a part of GATE ARCHITECTURE 2018 complete set. It covers the topic on history & architecture.
The section on history of architecture plays a significant role in scoring a good marks and so this dedicated section is
included. It has three broad topics. Indian history of architecture, world history of architecture & contribution of
architects & planners. If you remember of the compilation of Sir Banister Fletcher, you may aware that how vast this
topic is itself. Here we have tailored the coverage to the syllabus and questions asked in GATE exams in past years.
The topics that are extensively covered through the Question Bank, are escaped here. However, some common topics
are discussed here to complement the syllabus.
Contents
Architecture & Design……………………………………………………………………….………(Page A1-A24)
Indian History of Architecture …………………………………………………………………..…..(page In1-In46)
World History of Architecture ………………………………………………………………………(page W1-W116)
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
GATE SYLLABUS 2018 [Contents covered in this section are highlighted]
Section 1: Architecture and Design Visual composition in 2D and 3D; Principles of Art and Architecture; Organization of space;
Architectural Graphics; Computer Graphics– concepts of CAD, BIM, 3D modeling and Architectural rendition; Programming
languages and automation. Anthropometrics; Planning and design considerations for different building types; Site planning;
Circulation- horizontal and vertical; Barrier free design; Space Standards; Building Codes; National Building Code.
Elements, construction, architectural styles and examples of different periods of Indian and Western History of Architecture;
Oriental, Vernacular and Traditional architecture; Architectural developments since Industrial Revolution; Influence of modern art
on architecture; Art nouveau, Eclecticism, International styles, Post Modernism, Deconstruction in architecture; Recent trends in
Contemporary Architecture; Works of renowned national and international architects.
Section 2: Building Materials, Construction and Management Behavioral characteristics and applications of different building
materials viz. mud, timber, bamboo, brick, concrete, steel, glass, FRP, AAC, different polymers, composites.
Building construction techniques, methods and details; Building systems and prefabrication of building elements; Principles of
Modular Coordination; Estimation, specification, valuation, professional practice; Construction planning and equipments; Project
management techniques e.g. PERT, CPM etc.
Section 3: Building and Structures Principles of strength of materials; Design of structural elements in wood, steel and RCC;
Elastic and Limit State design; Structural systems in RCC and Steel; Form and Structure; Principles of Pre-stressing; High Rise and
Long Span structures, gravity and lateral load resisting systems; Principles and design of disaster resistant structures.
Section 4: Environmental Planning and Design Ecosystem- natural and man-made ecosystem; Ecological principles; Concepts
of Environmental Impact Analysis; Environmental considerations in planning and design; Thermal comfort, ventilation and air
movement; Principles of lighting and illumination; Climate responsive design; Solar architecture; Principles of architectural
acoustics; Green Building- Concepts and Rating; ECBC; Building Performance Simulation and Evaluation; Environmental
pollution- types, causes, controls and abatement strategies.
Section 5: Urban Design Concepts and theories of urban design; Public Perception; Townscape; Public Realm; Urban design
interventions for sustainable development and transportation; Historical and modern examples of urban design; Public spaces,
character, spatial qualities and Sense of Place; Elements of urban built environment – urban form, spaces, structure, pattern, fabric,
texture, grain etc; Principles, tools and techniques of urban design; Urban renewal and conservation; Site planning; Landscape
design; Development controls – FAR, densities and building byelaws.
Section 6: Urban Planning and Housing Planning process; Types of plans - Master Plan, City Development Plan, Structure Plan,
Zonal Plan, Action Area Plan, Town Planning Scheme, Regional Plan; Salient concepts, theories and principles of urban planning;
Sustainable urban development; Emerging concepts of cities - Eco-City, Smart City, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), SEZ,
SRZ etc.
Housing; Concepts, principles and examples of neighbourhood; Housing typologies; Slums; Affordable Housing; Housing for
special areas and needs; Residential densities; Standards for housing and community facilities; National Housing Policies,
Programs and Schemes.
Section 7: Planning Techniques and Management Tools and techniques of Surveys – Physical, Topographical, Landuse and
Socio-economic Surveys; Methods of non-spatial and spatial data analysis; Graphic presentation of spatial data; Application of
G.I.S and Remote Sensing techniques in urban and regional planning; Decision support system and Land Information System.
Urban Economics; Law of demand and supply of land and its use in planning; Social, Economical and environmental cost benefit
analysis; Techniques of financial appraisal; Management of Infrastructure Projects; Development guidelines such as URDPFI;
Planning Legislation and implementation – Land Acquisition Act, PPP etc.; Local self-governance.
Section 8: Services, Infrastructure and Transportation Building Services: Water supply; Sewerage and drainage systems;
Sanitary fittings and fixtures; Plumbing systems; Principles of internal and external drainage system; Principles of electrification of
buildings; Intelligent Buildings; Elevators and Escalators - standards and uses; Air-Conditioning systems; Firefighting Systems;
Building Safety and Security systems.
Urban Infrastructure – Transportation, Water Supply, Sewerage, Drainage, Solid Waste Management, Electricity and
Communications.
Process and Principles of Transportation Planning and Traffic Engineering; Road capacity; Traffic survey methods; Traffic flow
characteristics; Traffic analyses and design considerations; Travel demand forecasting; Land-use – transportation - urban form
inter-relationships; Design of roads, intersections, grade separators and parking areas; Hierarchy of roads and level of service;
Traffic and transport management and control in urban areas,; Mass transportation planning; Para-transits and other modes of
transportation, Pedestrian and slow moving traffic planning; Intelligent Transportation Systems. Principles of water supply and
sanitation systems; water treatment; Water supply and distribution system; Water harvesting systems; Principles, Planning and
Design of storm water drainage system; Sewage disposal methods; Methods of solid waste management - collection, transportation
and disposal; Recycling and Reuse of solid waste; Power Supply and Communication Systems, network, design and guidelines.
Genaral Aptitude
A1
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Elements of design are the parts. They structure and carry the work.
Principles of design are concepts. They affect content and message.
It basically refers to the placement or arrangement of conceptual elements (point, line, plane, volume, form, shape,
space) and visual elements (color, texture, size and shape) in a work of art according to some (consciously or
unconsciously used) compositional principles. “In the visual arts, composition is often used interchangeably with
various terms such as design, form, visual ordering, or formal structure, depending on the context.”
In architectural design, the architect creates an ordered expression through the process of composition by using the raw
materials of architectural form, which are basically the mass and the space. In this process, the material forms (masses)
and spaces are arranged into the final composition, of the definitive design. At this stage each element ends up in its
proper place according to the principles of composition. Without this ordering process the result would be chaos. The
method of ordering and the concept employed ultimately dictate the character, appearance and style of a design.”
Some compositional principles might be used (such as unity, balance, hierarchy, scale, dominance, similarity, contrast,
rhythm, repetition, symmetry) to create this order. The way the formal and spatial elements are arranged through these
principles creates the order of composition in architecture.
These organizational principles of composition are like the grammar of a language. The use of these principles over the
visual and conceptual elements of design is like using a visual grammar. It is like speaking and writing in the language
of architectural design. Visual and conceptual elements are the materials (words) of design and the principles are the
ways to work with and arrange the elements (grammar). However it is also true that there is not such a thing that these
principles should be obeyed.
A2
ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Metamorphosed Rocks – when sedimentary rocks are pushed to deeper levels of the earth, they transform into
metamorphosed rocks due to changes in pressure and temperature .
GEOMORPHOLOGY - is that branch of Geology that deals with the origin, nature and distribution of
landforms.
When designing a piece of property for architectural, landscape architectural and engineering usage, it is essential for
the designer to first confront the nature of the land, particularly its form, its slopes, and its inherent capabilities for
surface and subsurface discharge of water, for supporting vertical and horizontal structures, and for resisting erosion.
This exercise requires four basic geomorphologic information such as :
• Soil Properties – Composition and Soil Texture
• Drainage
• Topography and Slopes
• Soil Erosion
In site planning, it is important to establish the relationship between soil composition and land uses (other than
agriculture). Soil surveys help guide in site selection for residential, industrial, and other forms of development that
involve surface and subsurface structures.
Several features, or properties, are used to describe soil for use in site design. Of these ---
1. COMPOSITION
2. TEXTURE
are generally the most meaningful; from them we can make inferences about bearing capacity, internal drainage,
erodibility, and slope stability.
SOIL PROPERTIES:
1. COMPOSITION refers to the material that makes up soil: mineral particles, organic matter, water and
air.
a. Mineral Particles comprise 50% to 80% of the volume of the soil and form the all important skeletal structure
of the soil. Sand and gravel particles provide for the greatest stability, usually yield a relat-ively high
bearing capacity,
b. Organic Matter varies radically in soils and usually imposes a limitation to any building structure. Organic
matter is important only for soil fertility, moisture absorption and retention and for landscaping.
c. Water content varies with particle sizes, local drainage, topography and climate. Most water occupies the
spaces between particles; only in organic soils do the particles themselves actually absorb measurable amounts
of water.
d. Air is what occupies remaining space that is not occupied by water. In layers where groundwater is formed by
gravity water in the subsoil and underlying rock, there is absence of air.
DRAINAGE:
GOOD DRAINAGE refers to the soil’s ability
to transfer gravity water downward through:
Classification of Buildings
CATEGORY 1 RESIDENTIAL
Primary Residential Zone
Mixed Residential Zone
Unplanned Informal Residential Zone
CATEGORY 2 COMMERCIAL
Retail Shopping Zone
General Business & Commercial
District Centres
Wholesale, Godowns, Warehousing/Regulated Markets.
CATEGORY 3 MANUFACTURING
Service and Light Industry
Extensive and Heavy Industry
Special Industrial Zone,
Hazardus, Noxius, and chemical.
CATEGORY 4 PUBLIC AND SEMI-PUBLIC
Govt/Semi Govt/Public Offices
Education and Research, Medical and Health
Social Cultural and Religious
Utilities and Services
Cremation and Burial Grounds
CATEGORY 5 RECREATIONAL
Playground/stadium/sports complex
Parks & Gardens-Public open spaces
Special recreational zone-restricted openspaces
Multi open-space (Maidan)
CATEGORY 6 TRANSPORTATION & COMMUNICATION
Roads
Railways
Airports
Seaports and Dockyards
Bus Depots/Truck Terminals &
Freight complex
Transportation and Communication
CATEGORY 7 AGRICULTURE & WATER BODIES
Agriculture
Forest
Poultry and Dairy Farming
Rural Settlements
Brick Kiln and Extractive Areas
Water Bodies
CATEGORY 8 SPECIAL AREA
Old Built up (core) Area
Heritage and Conservation Area
Scenic Value Areas
Village Settlement
Other uses
END
References:
https://www.slideshare.net/ShubhranshuUpadhyay/site-planning-30658085
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/32876/architecture/31848/Composition
A24
Indian History of Architecture
GATE SYLLABUS 2017 [Contents covered in this section are highlighted] INDIAN HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE
Section 1: Architecture and Design Visual composition in 2D and 3D; Principles of Art and Architecture; Organization of space;
Architectural Graphics; Computer Graphics– concepts of CAD, BIM, 3D modeling and Architectural rendition; Programming
languages and automation. Anthropometrics; Planning and design considerations for different building types; Site planning;
Circulation- horizontal and vertical; Barrier free design; Space Standards; Building Codes; National Building Code.
Elements, construction, architectural styles and examples of different periods of Indian and Western History of Architecture;
Oriental, Vernacular and Traditional architecture; Architectural developments since Industrial Revolution; Influence of modern art
on architecture; Art nouveau, Eclecticism, International styles, Post Modernism, Deconstruction in architecture; Recent trends in
Contemporary Architecture; Works of renowned national and international architects.
Section 2: Building Materials, Construction and Management Behavioral characteristics and applications of different building
materials viz. mud, timber, bamboo, brick, concrete, steel, glass, FRP, AAC, different polymers, composites.
Building construction techniques, methods and details; Building systems and prefabrication of building elements; Principles of
Modular Coordination; Estimation, specification, valuation, professional practice; Construction planning and equipments; Project
management techniques e.g. PERT, CPM etc.
Section 3: Building and Structures Principles of strength of materials; Design of structural elements in wood, steel and RCC;
Elastic and Limit State design; Structural systems in RCC and Steel; Form and Structure; Principles of Pre-stressing; High Rise and
Long Span structures, gravity and lateral load resisting systems; Principles and design of disaster resistant structures.
Section 4: Environmental Planning and Design Ecosystem- natural and man-made ecosystem; Ecological principles; Concepts of
Environmental Impact Analysis; Environmental considerations in planning and design; Thermal comfort, ventilation and air
movement; Principles of lighting and illumination; Climate responsive design; Solar architecture; Principles of architectural
acoustics; Green Building- Concepts and Rating; ECBC; Building Performance Simulation and Evaluation; Environmental pollution-
types, causes, controls and abatement strategies.
Section 5: Urban Design Concepts and theories of urban design; Public Perception; Townscape; Public Realm; Urban design
interventions for sustainable development and transportation; Historical and modern examples of urban design; Public spaces,
character, spatial qualities and Sense of Place; Elements of urban built environment – urban form, spaces, structure, pattern, fabric,
texture, grain etc; Principles, tools and techniques of urban design; Urban renewal and conservation; Site planning; Landscape
design; Development controls – FAR, densities and building byelaws.
Section 6: Urban Planning and Housing Planning process; Types of plans - Master Plan, City Development Plan, Structure Plan,
Zonal Plan, Action Area Plan, Town Planning Scheme, Regional Plan; Salient concepts, theories and principles of urban planning;
Sustainable urban development; Emerging concepts of cities - Eco-City, Smart City, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), SEZ,
SRZ etc.
Housing; Concepts, principles and examples of neighbourhood; Housing typologies; Slums; Affordable Housing; Housing for special
areas and needs; Residential densities; Standards for housing and community facilities; National Housing Policies, Programs and
Schemes.
Section 7: Planning Techniques and Management Tools and techniques of Surveys – Physical, Topographical, Landuse and
Socio-economic Surveys; Methods of non-spatial and spatial data analysis; Graphic presentation of spatial data; Application of G.I.S
and Remote Sensing techniques in urban and regional planning; Decision support system and Land Information System.
Urban Economics; Law of demand and supply of land and its use in planning; Social, Economical and environmental cost benefit
analysis; Techniques of financial appraisal; Management of Infrastructure Projects; Development guidelines such as URDPFI;
Planning Legislation and implementation – Land Acquisition Act, PPP etc.; Local self-governance.
Section 8: Services, Infrastructure and Transportation Building Services: Water supply; Sewerage and drainage systems;
Sanitary fittings and fixtures; Plumbing systems; Principles of internal and external drainage system; Principles of electrification of
buildings; Intelligent Buildings; Elevators and Escalators - standards and uses; Air-Conditioning systems; Firefighting Systems;
Building Safety and Security systems.
Urban Infrastructure – Transportation, Water Supply, Sewerage, Drainage, Solid Waste Management, Electricity and
Communications. Process and Principles of Transportation Planning and Traffic Engineering; Road capacity; Traffic survey
methods; Traffic flow characteristics; Traffic analyses and design considerations; Travel demand forecasting; Land-use –
transportation - urban form inter-relationships; Design of roads, intersections, grade separators and parking areas; Hierarchy of roads
and level of service; Traffic and transport management and control in urban areas,; Mass transportation planning; Para-transits and
other modes of transportation, Pedestrian and slow moving traffic planning; Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Principles of water supply and sanitation systems; water treatment; Water supply and distribution system; Water harvesting systems;
Principles, Planning and Design of storm water drainage system; Sewage disposal methods; Methods of solid waste management -
collection, transportation and disposal; Recycling and Reuse of solid waste; Power Supply and Communication Systems, network,
design and guidelines.
General Aptitude
1
Indian History of Architecture
― Decline in trade
― Climatic changes- Indus valley got cooler
and drier with the course of time
― Decrease in rainfall and thus inadequate
supply of water for irrigation
― Changes in the course of the river
• many elements of its culture were found in the
later cultures
Points to Wonder
What else have scientists discovered about this fascinating culture? LOTS! Their towns were
laid out in grids everywhere (straight streets, well built homes!) These people were
incredible builders! Scientists have found what they think are giant reservoirs for fresh
water. They have also found that even the smallest house at the edge of each town was
linked to that town's central drainage system. (Is it possible that they not only drained waste
water out, but also had a system to pump fresh water into their homes, similar to modern
plumbing? What a neat thought! Who were these people? Remember-these systems were
Figure: The dancing
girl..
built over 3,500 years ago!)
Although scientists
can not yet read the
language, they are
beginning to believe
that the people who
lived in these 1400
towns had a
common language!
That's incredible!
As well, scientists
have found artifacts
at different sites
(towns) with the
same or similar
picture of a unicorn
on them. India
Today suggested
humorously that
perhaps it was a
logo - like Pepsi and Figure: Burial of woman and infant, Harappa.
Coke, only this one
was Unicorn!
A new study by scientists from IIT-Kharagpur and Archaeological Survey of India which shows that the Indus Valley
Civilization is at least 8,000 years old, and not approximately 5,000 years old as previously believed demands a
fundamental and objective rethink of old assumptions about the antiquity of Indian civilisation and its role in world
history.
6
Indian History of Architecture
Buddhist Architecture
• Principal place of early Buddhist worship is the stupa. Mound shaped shrine with no interior.
• A stupa is a reliquary and worshipers gain spiritual merit through being in close proximity to its contents.
• Buddhists pray while walking around stupa in an easterly direction (direction of sun‘s course).
• Central mast at top of stupa with 3 umbrella shapes (Chatras). Symbolizes three jewels of
Buddhism (Buddha, Law, and the community of monks).
Buddhism
Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature of reality. Buddhist
practices like meditation are means of changing yourself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and
wisdom. The experience developed within the Buddhist tradition over thousands of years has created an incomparable
resource for all those who wish to follow a path — a path which ultimately culminates in
Enlightenment or Buddhahood. An enlightened being sees the nature of reality absolutely clearly,
just as it is, and lives fully and naturally in accordance with that vision. This is the goal of the
Buddhist spiritual life, representing the end of suffering for anyone who attains it.
Because Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator god, some people do not see
it as a religion in the normal, Western sense. The basic tenets of Buddhist teaching are Scan here for
straightforward and practical: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is further reading.
possible. So Buddhism addresses itself to all people irrespective of race, nationality, caste, on
sexuality, or gender. It teaches practical methods which enable people to realise and use its Bhuddism
teachings in order to transform their experience, to be fully responsible for their lives.
Spherical dome symbolises the infinite sky, the abode of God. Top of dome is a small decorative
balcony called ‗Harmika‘ At top is a rainvase or ‗Varsha sthala‘.
The reconstruction of the stupa was started in as early as 150 B.C.,when the existing stupa was enlarged nearly twice
its previous size.
7
Indian History of Architecture
Bamayan Buddhas (destroyed)
Figure: Built in 3rd and 5th-centuries monumental statues of standing Buddha carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamyan valley in
Afghanistan destroyed by Taliban in 2008.
http://bit.ly/1QsnOaZ
The Pagoda
The Pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered
tower with multiple eaves common in China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam,
and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious
function, most commonly Buddhist, and were often located in or near
temples. This term may refer to other religious structures in some
countries. The pagoda's original purpose was to house relics and
sacred writings.
11
Indian History of Architecture
JainArchitecture
Introduction
Jain architecture is an offshoot of Hindu and Buddhist styles.
In the initial years, many Jain temples were made adjoining the Buddhist temples following the Buddhist rock-cut style
Initially these temples were mainly carved out of rock faces and the use of bricks was almost negligible
However, in later years Jains started building temple-cities on hills based on the concept of mountains of immortality.
The squares thus formed create chambers, used as small chapels and contains the image of a deity.
From these pillars, there are richly carved brackets that emerge at about two thirds of their height.
The only variation in architecture specific to Jain temples is the frequently seen four-faced or chaumukh design.
In these four faced temples, the image of a Tirthankar faces back to back to face four cardinal directions.
Entry into these temples is also from four doors that face the cardinal directions.
Jain Temples.Introduction
The founder of Jainism is Vardamana or Mahavira (Great Hero). But it is said that he is the last Tirthankara or Jina.
(Victor) and the first one is Adinatha. All of Jain temples are dedicated to one of the 24 Tirthankaras.
In Jain style of architecture, bricks were hardly used, and the system of carving out temples from rock faces was
adopted.
Jain Temples
In later years when Jains discovered the concept of mountains of immortality , they proceeded to deviate from Hindu
and Buddhist sites and build on their own.
An important aspect to be noted is that Hindus and Buddhists built temples, Jains built temple- cities on hills.
To put it in their own words, they "ornamented these holy hills with a crown of eternal Arhat chaityas (tabernacles of
saints) shining with the splendor of jewels."
As mentioned earlier, the leading idea of the plan of the Jain temple is that of a number of columns arranged in squares.
Wherever it was intended to have a dome, pillars were omitted, so as to leave spaces in the form of octagons.
By corbelling over the pendentives in level courses, the dome was gradually formed.
Simply put, these are temples within a temple, divided into sanctums and surrounded by a range of chapels and shrines,
and the maze of columns act as a defense against plunderers.
The principle impression gathered from these temples is the variety of their sections but in harmony with each other.
The pointed spires above each dome is different, yet it signifies the position of a chapel, hall or any other chamber
inside.
From the architectural perspective, Jain Temple- cities seem to be rather cold compared to Hindu or Buddhist temples.
12
Indian History of Architecture
Mahabodhi Temple, Bodh Gaya, Bihar
The basement of the present temple is 15m square, 15m in length as well as in breadth and its height is 52m which rises
in the form of a slender pyramid tapering off from a square platform.
On its four corners four towers gracefully rise to some height. The
whole architectural plan gives pose and balance to the observers.
Bodhi Tree
19
Indian History of Architecture
Ashoka. The giant Bodhi Tree (Peepal) seen here is believed to have grown from the original Bodhi Tree under which,
sitting on the raised red stone platform, 'vajrasila', Prince Siddharth meditated and finally attained Nirvana. The
platform has a stone carving of his footsteps where the devout make flower offerings. Then there is 'Chaukramana', the
Jewel Walk, where it is believed that the Buddha strolled while in deep thought and 'Animeshlochana' is the sacred spot
where Buddha stood to gaze in gratitude at the Bodhi tree for a week.
The geometrical arrangements of the stones perfectly match with theproven thesis of arches, where all the elements are
primarily subjectedto compressive forces.
The wall thickness of the main temple is about 5.5 metre and the maintemple has three floors, i.e. three corbelled roofs
inside, which arebeing supported by huge wrought iron beams (about 25 cm. x 25 cm.solid section), spanning over 9
metre of length.
The wall face externally has been plastered with 45 cm. thick coat oflime plaster, applied in nine distinct layers, while
the inside wall has athin coat of plaster up to a height of 3 metre.
Till about the 6th century A.D., the style of temple architecture was similar both in the north as well as in the south. It
is only after this date that each began to evolve in its own different direction. For the present let it be understood clearly
that the two areas where temple architecture developed most markedly were the Deccan and Orissa and in both these
areas the northern and southern style temples can be found side by side. The Vimana, the temple tower over the main
shrine in Orissa is one of the most glorious inventions of architecture in India and is functionally a much finer
conception than the south Indian Gopuram, where the barrel-shaped tower does not crown the sanctum sanctorum or
the garbha-griha but is a glorified entrance gate.
20
Indian History of Architecture
conquest of India actually took more than a thousand years it was only with the conquest of India by Emperor Babar in
1526 that the Muslims began to think in terms of settling down in the country and in course of time had the satisfaction
that they now belonged to the country and that the country belonged to them. As such from the 7th century to the 16th
century Muslim architecture in India reflects the unsettled condition of the conquerers who felt that they were living
amidst the conquered inhabitants, many of who were hostile to them. As such the accent thus far was on security which
could be had only in walled fortifIcations. It is, therefore, that early Muslim towns and cities, even when they are tombs
were made as fortified places which they could easily defend against hostile forces.
Qutub Minar,
Delhi
33
Indian History of Architecture
could be adopted in India. Some realized that concrete and plastic forms were after all not the solution for all Indian
architectural problems, howsoever sensational they might be.
45
Indian History of Architecture
manufacture of new building materials from industrial waste to replace the traditional building materials like steel and
cement of which there are tremendous shortages.
There is the growing realization among architects that just to build visually beautiful buildings will be useless, unless it
is backed by infrastructure of services, such as water supply, electrical supply and communication system of rapid mass
transit, etc. In other words it is not an individual building but the total environment that matters. All this calls for
serious attention on patterns of physical growth that will take care of layouts of all these services in an organised
manner.
THE END
Reference
http://wiki.wadhwani-foundation.org/industry/rashtrapati-bhavan-supports-skill-india-1500-rashtrapati-bhavan-
employees-get-trained-india-education-diary/
http://www.aboutdelhi.org/tughlaqabad-fort.html
http://mycity1.com/mycity/1/temples-29/
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/greek-art/beginners-guide-greece/a/introduction-to-
greek-architecture
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhas_of_Bamiyan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaravathi_(village),_Guntur_district
46
ARCHITECTS WORK
Pritzker Prize
To honor a living architect or architects whose built work demonstrates a combination of those qualities of talent,
vision, and commitment, which has produced consistent and significant contributions to humanity and the built
environment through the art of architecture. The award consists of $100,000 (US) and a bronze medallion.
The international prize, which is awarded each year to a living architect/s for significant achievement, was established
by the Pritzker family of Chicago through their Hyatt Foundation in 1979. It is granted annually and is often referred to
as “architecture’s Nobel” and “the profession’s highest honor.”
How to nominate?
The Pritzker Architecture Prize does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex,
disability, or age in its programs and activities. The prize is awarded irrespective of nationality, race, creed, or
ideology. Nominations are accepted internationally from persons of diverse fields who have a knowledge of and
interest in advancing great architecture.
The Executive Director actively solicits nominations from past laureates, architects, academics, critics, politicians,
professionals involved in cultural endeavors, and persons of diverse fields who have an expertise and interest in the
field of architecture.
Additionally, any licensed architect may submit a nomination to the Executive Director for consideration by the jury
for the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Nominations are accepted through November 1 of any given year. It is sufficient to
send an e-mail to the Executive Director with the nominee’s name and contact information. Nominations that do not
result in the award are automatically carried over to the following year. The Jury
normally undertakes deliberations early in the calendar year and the winner
is announced in the spring. For more info, visit:
https://www.pritzkerprize.com
Jury Members: Ratan N. Tata from India is one of the jury members of
Pritzker Prize. He is also the Chairman Emeritus of Tata Sons, the
holding company of the Tata Group. He was Chairman from 1991 until
his retirement in 2012. He was responsible for transforming Tata Sons
into a group strategy think-tank, and a promoter of new ventures in high
technology businesses. Tata serves on the board of directors of Alcoa and
on the international advisory boards of Mitsubishi Corporation, JPMorgan
Chase, Rolls-Royce, Temasek Holdings, and the Monetary Authority of
Singapore. He serves on the board of trustees of the University of Southern
California and Cornell University.
1
ARCHITECTS WORK
Eduardo Souto de Moura (Portugal) Wang Shu (China) 2012 Toyo Ito 2013
2011
YOU?
Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem and Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi, 2018 2025?
Ramon Vilalta, 2017
5
ARCHITECTS WORK
Figure: In 1943, Barragan built himself a house and studio in Mexico City which is now a World Heritage Site that
serves as a museum that touts his accomplishments that have shaped modern Mexican architecture. The unassuming
and colorless exterior is in sharp contrast to the colorful and dramatically lit rooms inside; he wanted to keep the
building nondescript and consistent with the street.
He told visitors that the building’s design reflected his sense of nostalgia and comfort, and that at the time it was a
rejection of trendy French-inspired design. The home is notable for it’s light-filled rooms that look onto gardens and
for its other cooler and darker rooms which Barragan believed gave a sense of tranquility. Inside views:
12
ARCHITECTS WORK
Figure: Torres de Satélite was designed and built in 1958 for the newly developing city of Ciudad Satélite outside of
Mexico City by collaboration between Barragan, painter Jesus Reyes Ferreira, and sculptor Marias Goeritz. The
local government has recently pushed for the monument to be recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Source: http://styleture.com/2012/05/14/the-works-of-architect-luis-barragan/
13
ARCHITECTS WORK
A Futuristic Vision
https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/articles/profiling-ieoh-ming-pei-china-s-best-known-architect/
23
ARCHITECTS WORK
Figure: Richard Meier. A White Knight of Modern Architecture. Born on : October 12, 1934 in Newark, New
Jersey. Education: Bachelor of Architecture degree, Cornell University, 1957
Important Buildings:
A common theme runs through Richard Meier's striking, white designs. The sleek porcelain-enameled cladding and stark
glass forms have been described as "purist," "sculptural," and "Neo-Corbusian." Listed here are a few of his most
significant works.
Quotes:
"We are all affected by Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Alvar Aalto, and Mies van der Rohe. But no less than
Bramante, Borromini, and Bernini. Architecture is a tradition, a long continuum. Whether we break with tradition
or enhance it, we are still connected to that past. We evolve."
"... I think white is the most wonderful color of all, because within it one can find every color of the rainbow."
More about: Richard Meier, in full Richard Alan Meier, (born October 12, 1934, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.),
American architect noted for his refinements of and variations on classic Modernist principles: pure geometry, open
space, and an emphasis on light.
Meier graduated from Cornell University (B.A., 1957) in Ithaca, New York. His early experience included work with
the firm of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill in New York City and with Marcel Breuer, a noted exponent of the
International style of architecture. In 1963 Meier formed his own firm. Early on he received critical acclaim for the
Smith House (1965–67) in Darien, Connecticut, the first of his so-called white buildings, which clearly built upon the
pristine Modernism of Le Corbusier’s work in the 1920s and ’30s. During this period he formed a loose association
with a group of young architects, known as the “New York Five,” who advocated a return to Modernist, rational
architecture. He received more attention for his Douglas House (1971–73), an archetypal example of his work, located
in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Like much of his work, it features intersecting planes, and, in its crisp geometric
whiteness, it provides a sharp contrast to the natural setting that surrounds it.
Building upon the success of his series of spectacular private residences, starting in the mid-1970s Meier began to
receive large public commissions, including the Atheneum (1975–79) in New Harmony, Indiana; the Museum of
Decorative Arts (1979–85) in Frankfurt am Main, Germany; the High Museum of Art (1980–83) in Atlanta, Georgia;
the City Hall and Library (1986–95) in The Hague, Netherlands; and the Museum of Contemporary Art (1987–95) in
Barcelona, Spain. These structures are characterized by geometric clarity and order, which are often punctuated by
curving ramps and railings, and by a contrast between the light-filled, transparent surfaces of public spaces and the
solid white surfaces of interior, private spaces. Indeed, they all embody Meier’s description of his goals: “I am
expanding and elaborating on what I consider to be the formal base of the Modern movement.…I work with volume
and surface, I manipulate forms in light, changes in scale and view, movement and stasis.” Although some critics have
found these structures too austere and reminiscent of past architectural achievement, others have applauded their formal
beauty and welcomed their purity in the midst of the often jumbled forms of postmodernist architecture.
From 1985 to 1997 Meier focused much of his attention on the Getty Center in Los Angeles. Comprising six principal
buildings that house the Getty collection and educational facilities, the centre is built of honey-coloured travertine
complemented by aluminum panels. The multiple purposes of the complex—from public galleries to private study
rooms—gave Meier a chance to explore the contrast between public and private spaces as never before, and its
positioning in the hills of Los Angeles allowed Meier an optimum opportunity to explore the effects of light. The
structure has become a popular tourist destination. Another of Meier’s Los Angeles projects is the Eli and Edythe
Broad Art Center (completed 2008), the home of the visual arts program on the north campus of the University of
California, Los Angeles.
Richard Meier was part of the New York Five, along with architects Peter Eisenman, Michael Graves, Charles
Gwathmey, and John Hejduk. Five Architects: Eisenman, Graves, Gwathmey, Hejduk, Meier was first published in the
early 1970s and remains a popular treatise on modernism. "The Five was never an official group," said architecture
critic Paul Goldberger in 1996, "and its members had as much dividing them as joining them. All they really had in
common, in a sense, was a commitment to the idea that pure architectural form took priority over social concerns,
technology or the solving of functional problems."
https://www.thoughtco.com/about-richard-meier-architect-of-the-getty-center-177416
25
ARCHITECTS WORK
Figure: Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center, Los Angeles.
In March 2018 Meier announced that he was taking a six-month leave from his firm after five women—four of whom
had worked for him—accused the architect of sexual harassment. He issued a statement suggesting that he remembered
the situations differently from his accusers but apologized for offending anyone with his behaviour.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Meier
Design Philosophies:
Tange's early designs attempted to combine modernism with traditional Japanese forms of architecture
"Architecture must have something that appeals to the human heart, but even then, basic forms, spaces and
appearances must be logical. Creative work is expressed in our time as a union of technology and humanity".
Tange did not imagine himself as a leading form giver. He sees himself in state of transition
“The role of tradition is that of a catalyst which furthers a chemical reaction, but is no longer detectable in the
end result”
He also contributed in Metabolist movement
Many Metabolists had studied under Kenzo Tange at Tokyo University's Tange Laboratory.
Metabolism:
At the World Design Conference of 1960, the Metabolism group—formed by architecture critic Kawazoe Noboru,
architects Otaka Masato, and others who had come under the influence of the architect Kenzo Tange presented a
manifesto entitled Metabolism 1960: Proposals for a New Urbanism
Metabolism is a modern architecture movement originating in Japan and most influential in the 1960s—trending roughly
from the late 1950s to the early 1970s.
The word metabolism describes the process of maintaining living cells. Young Japanese architects after World War II
used this word to describe their beliefs about how buildings and cities should be designed, emulating a living being.
The postwar reconstruction of Japan's cities spawned new ideas about the future of urban design and public spaces.
31
ARCHITECTS WORK
Philosophy: “I am not attracted to straight angles or to the straight line,hard and inflexible, created by man.I am
attracted to free flowing, sensual curves. The curves that I find in the mountains of my country, in the sinuousness of its
rivers, in the waves of the ocean, and on the body of the beloved woman. Curves make up the entire Universe, the
curved Universe of Einstein"
“My work,is not about 'form follows function1,but 'form follows beauty' or even better ,'form follows feminine”
Figure: The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, Rio de Janeiro, designed by Oscar Niemeyer | © Rodrigo
Soldon/Flickr
35
ARCHITECTS WORK
Figure: Frank Gehry has described 98% of modern architecture as “shit” and given a journalist the middle finger
salute at a press conference. Gehry was in Oviedo, Spain to collect the Prince of Asturias prize. 2014.
Photograph: J l Cereijido/EPA Source: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/oct/24/frank-gehry-journalist-finger-architecture-shit
Buildings by Frank Gehry: From his earliest works, architect Frank Gehry has shattered conventions, designing
buildings that some critics say are more sculpture than architecture. Using unorthodox materials like corrugated metal
and chain link, Gehry creates unexpected, twisted forms. His work has been called radical, playful, organic, and
sensual.
Walt IAC
Disney Concert Hall, Los Building by Architect Maggies Centre by
Angeles, CA Frank Gehry Architect Frank Gehry
Guggenheim Bilbao by
Architect Frank Gehry
Jay Ray
'MARTa' Museum by Pritzker Music Pavillion by and Maria Stata Center by Weisman Art Museum by
Architect Frank Gehry Architect Frank Gehry Architect Frank Gehry Architect Frank Gehry
The
Gehry Treehouse Design by
Fisher Center for the House by Frank Gehry
Performing Arts Architect Frank Gehry
36
ARCHITECTS WORK
San Cataldo, Modena, Italy: The building was built in 1971
He fused ideas from the Costa and Jewish cemeteries of the 19th century to design his cemetery for a competition with
Gianni Braghieri in 1972, winning the competition.
Rossi took fragments of formal composition found within these cemeteries and transformed or reduced specific
elements to represent them in his own plan.
Rossi uses a bounding wall to define an axis and break down the rectangle into a series of zones.
The Rossian cemetery has no roof, floors, windows or doors; instead it is only a shell with openings. Some of the
openings are for light, others for views, access, and even containment of cremated bodies.
Many do not hold this building in high esteem, as they find it depressing or ugly. But Rossi has found a way to make
architecture metaphysical; the visitor is inevitably confronted with the thought of death, where truths are constant and
irrevocable.
Bonnefanten Museum
38
ARCHITECTS WORK
Husband and wife team Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown are known for architecture steeped in popular
symbolism. Kitsch becomes art in designs which exaggerate or stylize cultural icons.
Figure: American architect Robert Venturi designs buildings steeped in popular symbolism. Mocking the austerity
Born: June 25, 1925 in Philadelphia, PA
of modernist architecture, Venturi is famous for saying, "Less is a bore." Many critics say that Venturi's Pritzker
Prize should have been shared with his business partner and wife, Denise Scott Brown.
Education:
Partnerships:
Early in his career, worked for Eero Saarinen, and then in the Philadelphia offices of Louis I. Kahn and Oscar
Stonorov.
Partnered with John Rauch 1964-1989
Since 1960 has collaborated with his wife, the architect, planner, author, and educator Denise Scott Brown.
Their firm is Venturi, Scott Brown & Associates (VSBA).
Important Buildings:
Books:
39
ARCHITECTS WORK
His language is more distinguishable by the use of more lines than perfect forms, it interests him the fragmentation as
reaction to the complexity of a program, Siza’s thought is not linear, absolute and definitive. The solution can be found
in the syllogistic duality between what remains constant and what is presented as innovation. Both the premises value
the existence and the absence of “belonging”, keeping in mind the tremendous context of: the location, the program,
the material, the morpho-typological values of other works, the expression of color and curve, et cetera.
Awards :
• 1981 - The International Association of Art Critics’ Award / Ministry of Culture AICA / SEC - Architecture;
• 1988 – The Gold Medal from the Madrid College of Architects;
• 1988 – The Prize Mies van der Rohe for Contemporary Architecture;
• 1992 – The Pritzker Prize from the Hyatt Foundation, for the renovation project of Chiado, in Lisbon;
• 1993 – The Architecture National Prize;
• 1996 – The Secil Prize;
• 1998 – The Alvar Aalto Medal;
• 1998 – The Prince of Wales Prize from Harvard University;
• 2000 – The Secil Prize;
• 2001 – The Wolf Prize in Arts;
• 2005 – The Urbanism Special Grand Prize of France;
• 2006 – The Secil Prize;
• 2008 – The Royal Gold Medal for Architecture from the Royal Institute of British Architects;
• 2009 – The Royal Gold Medal 2009 from the Royal Institute of British Architects;
• 2010 – The Luso-Spanish Prize for Art and Culture
Source: https://www.slideshare.net/natashadzhurkova/alvaro-siza-viera
41
ARCHITECTS WORK
Figure: Taking cues from the environment, flamboyant French architect Jean Nouvel places an emphasis on light
and shadow.
One of the best-known French architects of recent decades, Jean Nouvel (1945) has produced work characterised by “on-
going formal invention, a great mastery of the means of expression and an uncommon ability to capture the atmosphere
of his times” (Garcias) since the seventies.
Nouvel draws on the most diverse themes (from history to high-tech, from film to literature), to the point that it is
impossible to identify a specific character in his works, other than a number of formal aspects such as “great lightness,
transparency and intangibility”.
This multidisciplinary approach to design originated during his training under Claude Parent, from whom he learned a
particular “anti-academic attitude”.
Nouvel graduated from the École des beaux-arts in Paris (1971), and his first important commission was a surgical clinic
outside Paris: inspired by Venturi, Nouvel uses “art deco bricks, nautical parapets, hoods from sports cars”.
His design for the boarding school in Antony (1980) reveals a notable provocative style, at a time when he was one of
the founders of the Syndicat de l’architecture.
The project that brought Nouvel international renown is the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris (1981-87, with Architecture
Studio): “an avant-garde project” at a time of great ferment in architecture during which president Mitterand was
commissioning numerous large-scale projects.
The unusual knife shape, the light projected onto the southern façade by photo-electric cells, and the splitting of the
building “in two” are the key features of a building that has become a classic of its kind.
64
ARCHITECTS WORK
His book Biology and Building (1972) examined ways in which the lightweight sandwich construction of bird skulls
could be applied to architecture; a further volume published the following year dealt with the strength and beauty of
spiders' webs. If only, thought Otto, we could stretch man-made structures to such limits with such economical use of
material. Further research documents examined the structure and building properties of bamboo and soap bubbles.
Otto observed that given a set of fixed points, soap film will spread naturally between them to offer the smallest
achievable surface area. http://www.famous-architects.org/frei-otto/
Figure: "Balkrishna Doshi has always created an architecture that is serious, never flashy or a follower of trends,"
said the Pritzker jury.
Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi was born in Pune in 1927. He did his bachelors from J. J. S chool of Art, Bombay in 1950.
He worked for four years with Le Corbusier as senior designer (1951 -54) in Paris. In 1956 he established a private
practice Vastu -Shilpa, Ahmedabad and in 1962 he established the Vastu –Shilpa Foundation for Environmental
Design. He also founded and designed the School of Architecture and Planning in Ahmedabad. Doshi has worked in
partnership as Stein, Doshi & Bhalla since 1977. Doshi worked closely with Louis Khan and Anant Raje, when Kahn
designed the campus of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. In 1958 he was a fellow at the Graham
Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts. Doshi has been a member of the Jury for several international and
national competitions including the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts and Aga Khan Award for Architecture. He
was presented in 1995, Aga Khan Award for Architecture, for the Aranya Community Housing in Indore, India.
Philosophies: According to him Architecture of a building is conceived not as a container of specific activities but as a
place to be inhabited, as a place to facilitate the course of human environment. Doshi's work has consistently revolved
around the interrelationship of indoor and outdoor space, an appropriate and honest approach to materials, proper
climatic response and observance of hierarchy and order that has always been present in the best modern architecture.
It is this so called ‘filter’ between contemporary and traditional architecture which Doshi has masterfully brought in.
The success of any project depends on effective construction, contracting, logistic planning and co-ordination. An
essential part of the philosophy is the construction of scale models and of full scale mockups to make decisions jointly
with the client about the building.
84
ARCHITECTS WORK
Figure: The United States has a love-hate relationship with Mies van der Rohe. Some say that he stripped
architecture of all humanity, creating cold, sterile and unlivable environments. Others praise his work, saying he
created architecture in its most pure form.
Believing that "less is more," Mies van der Rohe designed rational, minimalist skyscrapers that set the standard for
modernist design.
Education:
Hafeez Contractor
Figure: Hafeez Contractor is an Indian architect born in a Parsi family in 1950 in Mumbai. He got his graduate
diploma in architecture in 1975 from the University of Mumbai followed by bachelor’s degree from the Academy
of Architecture in Mumbai and master’s degrees in Architecture from Columbia University, New York ona Tata
scholarship.
Hafeez Contractor commenced his architectural practice in 1968 as an internee at his uncle, T. Khareghat’s office while
studying to get his architecture degree. After working for a while he became the associate partner in the same firm in
1977 and between the years from 1977 to 1980, he served as a visiting faculty member at the Academy of Architecture,
Mumbai.
He set up his own architectural firm in 1983 with a staff of two and today his firm has grown to one of the largest
architectural firms in India with around 500 employees. He has built a vast variety of buildings all over India but
gained large chunk of success and fame due to his residential projects. He also owns the credit of making a couple of
buildings with magnificent heights, The Imperial I and II being the tallest among them all. Other than that he has also
designed one of the tallest residential buildings in the world, the 23 Marina in Dubai. Apart from tall towers, Hafeez
also gained enough fame for his exuberant cricket stadium designs, railways stations, educational institutes, hotels,
hostel blocks and majestic airport terminals with modernistic approach.
Hafeez shows great concern regarding the lack of greenery in India and rejects the idea of going behind western
techniques and following their footsteps blindly as they don’t go in accordance with the climatic conditions and other
demands of this region. He proposes the installment of green spaces and public parks at walking distance from
residential zones and other urban centers to minimize the scarcity of greenery and other natural resources.
Following are the major projects done by Hafeez Contractor:
98
Introduction
The best way to prepare for an exam like GATE is through comprehensive study of previous year question papers. It
take less time to cover most part of the syllabus. Solving the previous year’s GATE questions help aspirants to
understand the exam pattern, knowing the level of questions and predict the pattern. At the same time you may be
aware that just knowing the answers of previous year question paper is just not enough.
For example if the question is: The teahouse is a feature of which type of landscape architecture? And you learnt that
the answer ‘Japanese Garden’. It is best to support the answer with addition notes & figures about different types of
gardens i.e. French, English, and Chinese etc. One reason for providing such notes is that it is rarely possible that in the
next few years, the same question will be repeated. But it is quite possible that if a question is asked form related topic,
you should answer it if you have gone through addition studies or notes.
Providing answer with essential notes & explanation is the main features of this Question Bank. It’s been tried to cover
the maximum part of the syllabus through providing supportive notes.
For further reading on particular topics, we have also provided QR codes & short links. Just scan or type the links to
reach the web resources.
All illustrations are color printed. Paper published by National Center for Biotechnology Information, US suggests that
there is positive effects of color illustration on cognitive process.
This question bank contains question papers of last 25 years from 1994 to 2018. All it makes it the complete question
bank. When you go through all these, you will get an idea how question pattern and trend has changed over time. This
will greatly help you to focus on the part of the syllabus which are frequently asked in exams.
This book should provide an edge to your study. Hopeful that it will make you confident and feel easy on question
pattern. Best wishes for your preparation.
Quote”
“The interesting observation is to try to work with people but even more than that to try to make them successful. If
you try to make others successful, they, in turn, will try to make you successful. No matter how brilliant you are, no
matter how good you are, no matter how hard you work, if you rely only on yourself and believe you don’t need the
help of others, you are sadly mistaken. If you engage everybody around you by helping them, they will help you, in
turn. And you will be more successful than you ever dreamed of.” – Former director Goldman Sachs
Contents
Section 1: Architecture and Design Visual composition in 2D and 3D; Principles of Art and Architecture; Organization of space;
Architectural Graphics; Computer Graphics– concepts of CAD, BIM, 3D modeling and Architectural rendition; Programming
languages and automation. Anthropometrics; Planning and design considerations for different building types; Site planning;
Circulation- horizontal and vertical; Barrier free design; Space Standards; Building Codes; National Building Code.
Elements, construction, architectural styles and examples of different periods of Indian and Western History of Architecture; Oriental,
Vernacular and Traditional architecture; Architectural developments since Industrial Revolution; Influence of modern art on
architecture; Art nouveau, Eclecticism, International styles, Post Modernism, Deconstruction in architecture; Recent trends in
Contemporary Architecture; Works of renowned national and international architects.
Section 2: Building Materials, Construction and Management Behavioral characteristics and applications of different building
materials viz. mud, timber, bamboo, brick, concrete, steel, glass, FRP, AAC, different polymers, composites.
Building construction techniques, methods and details; Building systems and prefabrication of building elements; Principles of
Modular Coordination; Estimation, specification, valuation, professional practice; Construction planning and equipments; Project
management techniques e.g. PERT, CPM etc.
Section 3: Building and Structures Principles of strength of materials; Design of structural elements in wood, steel and RCC;
Elastic and Limit State design; Structural systems in RCC and Steel; Form and Structure; Principles of Pre-stressing; High Rise and
Long Span structures, gravity and lateral load resisting systems; Principles and design of disaster resistant structures.
Section 4: Environmental Planning and Design Ecosystem- natural and man-made ecosystem; Ecological principles; Concepts of
Environmental Impact Analysis; Environmental considerations in planning and design; Thermal comfort, ventilation and air
movement; Principles of lighting and illumination; Climate responsive design; Solar architecture; Principles of architectural
acoustics; Green Building- Concepts and Rating; ECBC; Building Performance Simulation and Evaluation; Environmental pollution-
types, causes, controls and abatement strategies.
Section 5: Urban Design Concepts and theories of urban design; Public Perception; Townscape; Public Realm; Urban design
interventions for sustainable development and transportation; Historical and modern examples of urban design; Public spaces,
character, spatial qualities and Sense of Place; Elements of urban built environment – urban form, spaces, structure, pattern, fabric,
texture, grain etc; Principles, tools and techniques of urban design; Urban renewal and conservation; Site planning; Landscape design;
Development controls – FAR, densities and building byelaws.
Section 6: Urban Planning and Housing Planning process; Types of plans - Master Plan, City Development Plan, Structure Plan,
Zonal Plan, Action Area Plan, Town Planning Scheme, Regional Plan; Salient concepts, theories and principles of urban planning;
Sustainable urban development; Emerging concepts of cities - Eco-City, Smart City, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), SEZ,
SRZ etc.
Housing; Concepts, principles and examples of neighbourhood; Housing typologies; Slums; Affordable Housing; Housing for special
areas and needs; Residential densities; Standards for housing and community facilities; National Housing Policies, Programs and
Schemes.
Section 7: Planning Techniques and Management Tools and techniques of Surveys – Physical, Topographical, Landuse and Socio-
economic Surveys; Methods of non-spatial and spatial data analysis; Graphic presentation of spatial data; Application of G.I.S and
Remote Sensing techniques in urban and regional planning; Decision support system and Land Information System.
Urban Economics; Law of demand and supply of land and its use in planning; Social, Economical and environmental cost benefit
analysis; Techniques of financial appraisal; Management of Infrastructure Projects; Development guidelines such as URDPFI;
Planning Legislation and implementation – Land Acquisition Act, PPP etc.; Local self-governance.
Section 8: Services, Infrastructure and Transportation Building Services: Water supply; Sewerage and drainage systems; Sanitary
fittings and fixtures; Plumbing systems; Principles of internal and external drainage system; Principles of electrification of buildings;
Intelligent Buildings; Elevators and Escalators - standards and uses; Air-Conditioning systems; Firefighting Systems; Building Safety
and Security systems.
Urban Infrastructure – Transportation, Water Supply, Sewerage, Drainage, Solid Waste Management, Electricity and
Communications.
Process and Principles of Transportation Planning and Traffic Engineering; Road capacity; Traffic survey methods; Traffic flow
characteristics; Traffic analyses and design considerations; Travel demand forecasting; Land-use – transportation - urban form inter-
relationships; Design of roads, intersections, grade separators and parking areas; Hierarchy of roads and level of service; Traffic and
transport management and control in urban areas,; Mass transportation planning; Para-transits and other modes of transportation,
Pedestrian and slow moving traffic planning; Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Principles of water supply and sanitation systems; water treatment; Water supply and distribution system; Water harvesting
systems; Principles, Planning and Design of storm water drainage system; Sewage disposal methods; Methods of solid waste
management - collection, transportation and disposal; Recycling and Reuse of solid waste; Power Supply and Communication
Systems, network, design and guidelines. General Aptitude
1
GATE 2018
Q.3 The compressive strength of M-25 concrete is
(A) 25 kg/sqm (B) 25 N/sqmm (C) 250 N/sqmm (D) 2.5 N/sqmm Answer (B)
IS 456-2000 has designated the concrete mixes into a number of grades as M10, M15, M20, M25, M30, M35 and M40.
In this designation, the letter M refers to the mix and the number to the specified 28 day cube strength of mix in
N/mm2. The mixes of grades M10, M15, M20 and M25 correspond approximately to the mix proportions (1:3:6),
(1:2:4), (1:1.5:3) and (1:1:2) respectively.
So, for M25, the M stands for mix and 25 represents the characteristic strength of concrete.
The characteristic strength is defined as the strength of the concrete below which not more than 5% of the test
results are expected to fall. In simpler terms, if you cast 100 cubes of 15cm*15cm*15cm and test their compressive
strength using compression testing machines after 28 days, then not more than 5 cubes should fail at a value lesser than
25 N/mm2 (25 MPa).
MPa = Mega Pascal (Mega = 106 & Pascal = N/m2, So 1 MPa= 106 N / m2 )
The pascal (symbol Pa) is the SI unit of pressure. It is equivalent to one newton per square metre. The unit is named
after Blaise Pascal, the eminent French mathematician, physicist and philosopher.
Q.4 In Critical Path Method (CPM) for time scheduling, ‘forward pass calculation’ is carried out for
determining
(A) Late start and early finish time (B) Early start and early finish time
(C) Late start and late finish time (D) Early start and late finish time Answer (B)
Q.5 Collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC), New York, in 2001, was due to
(A) Wind load failure
(B) Foundation failure
(C) Thermal performance failure of reinforcement steel in RCC
(D) Thermal performance failure of structural steel Answer (D)
About World Trade Center, New York: Minoru Yamasaki, the lead architect of the World Trade Center project
proposed a plan that incorporated tall-standing twin towers; a design that would make these towers the tallest structures
in the world at the time. Due to the height of the towers, more elevators than usual needed to be included, but this
created a space problem on each floor. The concept of “sky lobbies” was introduced which were “floors where people
could switch from a large-capacity express elevator to a local elevator that goes to each floor in a section.” This saved
a tremendous amount of space on each floor.
To make Yamasaki’s design possible, the structural engineer developed a “tube” frame structural system. Such a
system allowed for a more open floor plan at each level as the loads are distributed around the perimeter of the floor
through the use of Vierendeel trusses.
The attack
5
GATE 2018
After the 767 jet liner crashed into the world trade center building
creating the worst terror attack in history, a fire burned for 56
minutes inside the World Trade Center building number two. The
top 20 floors of the building collapsed on the 90 floors below.
The entire one hundred and ten-story building collapsed in 8
seconds... After a fire burned inside WTC tower number one for
102 minutes, the top 30 floors collapsed on the lower 80 floors.
And the entire one hundred and ten stories of this building
collapsed in 10 seconds. You can say the reason they collapsed
was they were struck with a 185 ton jet airliner and the 24,000
gallons of jet fuel caused a fire of 1500 to 2000 degrees F which
weakened the steel and cause the collapse.
6
GATE 2018
Figure: It is estimated over 200 people jumped to their death. It took about 10 seconds to hit the ground. What was
the height from where the person jumped down? g = 9.8 m/sec2
7
GATE 2018
Steel Framing
The most noticeable change in the modern high-rise construction is a trend to using more steel and shaping
lightweight steel into tubes, curves, and angles to increase its load bearing capability. The WTC has tubular steel
bearing walls, fluted corrugated steel flooring and bent bar steel truss floor supports. To a modern high rise building
designer steel framing is economical and concrete is a costly material. For a high-rise structural frame: columns,
girders, floors and walls, steel provides greater strength per pound than concrete. Concrete is heavy. Concrete creates
excessive weight in the structure of a building. Architects, designers , and builders all know if you remove concrete
from a structure you have a building that weights less. So if you create a lighter building you can use columns, girders
and beams of smaller dimensions, or better yet you can use the same size steel framing and build a taller structure. In
News York City where space is limited you must build high. The trend over the past half-century is to create
lightweight high buildings. To do this you use thin steel bent bar truss construction instead of solid steel beams. To do
this you use hollow tube steel bearing walls, and curved sheet steel (corrugated) under floors. To do this you eliminate
as much concrete from the structure as you can and replace it with steel. Lightweight construction means economy. It
means building more with less. If you reduce the structure’s mass you can build cheaper and builder higher.
Unfortunately unprotected steel warps, melts, sags and collapses when heated to normal fire temperatures about 1100
to 1200 degrees F.
The fire service believes there is a direct relation of fire resistance to mass of structure. The more mass the
more fire resistance. The best fire resistive building in America is a concrete structure. The structures that limit and
confine fires best, and suffer fewer collapses are reinforced concrete pre WWII buildings such as housing projects and
older high rise buildings like the empire state building, The more concrete, the more fire resistance; and the more
concrete the less probability of total collapse. The evolution of high- rise construction can be seen, by comparing the
empire state building to the WTC. My estimate is the ratio of concrete to steel in the empire state building is 60/40.
The ratio of concrete to steel in the WTC is 40/60. The tallest building in the world, the Petronas Towers, in Kula
Lumpur, Malaysia, is more
like the concrete to steel ratio
of the empire state building
than concrete to steel ratio of
the WTC. Donald Trump in
New York City has
constructed the tallest
reinforced concrete high-rise
residence building.
Effects of jet crash and fire
on a skeleton steel high rise
A plane that only weighted 10
tons struck the Empire State
Building and the high-octane
gasoline fire quickly flamed
out after 35 minutes. When
the firefighters walked up to
the 79 floor most of the fire
had dissipated. The Empire
State Building in my opinion,
and most fire chiefs in New
York City, is the most fire Figure: The Windows on the World dining room, on the 107th floor of the North
safe building in America. I Tower of WTC. (Photo: Ezra Stoller/Esto). Between the glass window, steel
believe it would have not columns are there.
collapsed like the WTC
towers. I believe the Empire State Building, and for that matter any other skeleton steel building in New York City,
would have withstood the impact and fire of the terrorist’s jet plane better than the WTC towers. If the jet liners struck
any other skeleton steel high rise, the people on the upper floors and where the jet crashed may not have survived; there
might have been local floor and exterior wall collapse. However, I believe a skeleton steel frame high rise would not
suffer a cascading total pancake collapse of the lower floors in 8 and 10 seconds. Hopefully some engineer using
computer calculations, can reconstruct the effects of a 767 jetliner crashing into another New York City high building.
In any other high rise in New York City, I say, the floors below the crash and fire, would not collapse in such a total a
cascading pancake cave-in. Most of the occupants and rescuers killed in the WTC tower collapse were on the lower
floors.
Source: http://vincentdunn.com/wtc.html
8
GATE 2018
Q.6 During the construction of tall buildings, the equipment used for hoisting building materials to the upper
floors is a
(A) Goods lift (B) Capsule lift
(C) Gantry crane (D) Tower crane Answer (D)
About Bishnupur (The temple town, West-Bengal): Known for its beautiful terracotta temples, Bishnupur flourished
as the capital of the Malla kings from the 16th to the early 19th centuries. The architecture of these intriguing temples
is a bold mix of Bengali, Islamic and Oriya (Odishan) styles. Intricately detailed facades of numerous temples play out
scenes of the Hindu epics, the Ramayana and
Mahabharata.
Stone has always been in short supply in the vast
flood plains of Bengal. Hence the architects had
to restore to other substitute. As clay was easily
available the burnt clay bricks soon became a
good substitute of stone. This gave rise to a new
form of temple architecture and lead to the
construction of elaborately decorated terracotta
temples.
Terracotta literally means baked earth in Italian
but West Bengal has the distinction of housing
some of the finest terracotta art in the world. The
terracotta art reached its pinnacle under the
patronage of the Malla Kings of Bishnupur
during the seventeenth century.
Temples in Bishnupur: There are more than 20
temples in a small vicinity. Few described
below.
9
GATE 2018
"The Kailasa Temple, it is safe to say, is one of the most astonishing 'buildings' in the history of architecture. This
shrine was not constructed of stone on stone, it was in fact not constructed at all: it was carved, sculpted from the
volcanic hillside! A squared, U-shaped trench was first cut into the slope to a depth of close to 100 feet. The 'liberated'
mass in the center was then patiently carved from the living rock to produce a freestanding, two-story temple of
dazzling complexity. The temple, which is dedicated to Shiva, measures 109 feet wide by 164 feet long. It stands on an
elevated plinth to attain greater presence in its tight surroundings. The complex consists of entry, Nandi (i.e. bull)
shrine, open porch, main hall, and inner sanctum. Variously scaled panels, friezes, and sculpture highlight many
surfaces."
Source: http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/kailasa_temple.html
https://postcard.news/why-kailash-temple-is-not-considered-as-a-wonder-of-the-world-forget-constructing-this-temple-again-it-cant-even-be-
destroyed/
http://www.themysteriousindia.net/mind-boggling-images-of-the-kailasa-temple/
http://bit.ly/KailasaTempleMade
13
0
GATE 2016
GATE SYLLABUS [Contents covered in this section are highlighted and question no. in superscript] QUESTION PAPER 2016
Section 1: Architecture and Design Visual composition in 2D and 3D; Principles of Art and Architecture8; Organization of space;
Architectural Graphics11; Computer Graphics– concepts of CAD, BIM, 3D modeling and Architectural rendition; Programming languages
and automation. Anthropometrics; Planning and design considerations for different building types; Site planning; Circulation- horizontal
and vertical; Barrier free design; Space Standards16; Building Codes; National Building Code7.
Elements, construction, architectural styles and examples of different periods of Indian and Western History of Architecture15,16,26;
Oriental, Vernacular and Traditional architecture1,29; Architectural developments since Industrial Revolution; Influence of modern art on
architecture; Art nouveau, Eclecticism, International styles, Post Modernism, Deconstruction in architecture; Recent trends in
Contemporary Architecture2,34; Works of renowned national and international architects13,21,32,36,37.
Section 2: Building Materials, Construction and Management Behavioral characteristics and applications of different building
materials viz. mud, timber, bamboo, brick52, concrete20, steel, glass22, FRP, AAC, different polymers, composites.
Building construction techniques, methods and details30; Building systems and prefabrication of building elements; Principles of Modular
Coordination; Estimation47,49, specification, valuation, professional practice; Construction planning and equipments; Project management
techniques e.g. PERT, CPM 43etc.
Section 3: Building and Structures Principles of strength of materials; Design of structural elements in wood, steel31,41 and RCC10;
Elastic and Limit State design; Structural systems in RCC48 and Steel; Form and Structure; Principles of Pre-stressing; High Rise and
Long Span structures, gravity and lateral load resisting systems; Principles and design of disaster resistant structures.
Section 4: Environmental Planning and Design Ecosystem- natural and man-made ecosystem; Ecological principles; Concepts of
Environmental Impact Analysis; Environmental considerations in planning and design; Thermal comfort14,42, ventilation and air
movement39; Principles of lighting and illumination55; Climate responsive design; Solar architecture; Principles of architectural
acoustics44; Green Building- Concepts and Rating38; ECBC; Building Performance Simulation and Evaluation; Environmental pollution-
types, causes, controls and abatement strategies.
Section 5: Urban Design Concepts and theories of urban design; Public Perception; Townscape; Public Realm25; Urban design
interventions for sustainable development and transportation; Historical and modern examples of urban design; Public spaces4, character,
spatial qualities and Sense of Place; Elements of urban built environment – urban form, spaces, structure, pattern, fabric, texture, grain etc;
Principles, tools and techniques of urban design; Urban renewal and conservation; Site planning; Landscape design; Development
controls – FAR54, densities and building byelaws19.
Section 6: Urban Planning and Housing Planning process; Types of plans - Master Plan, City Development Plan, Structure Plan, Zonal
Plan, Action Area Plan, Town Planning Scheme, Regional Plan; Salient concepts, theories and principles of urban planning 5; Sustainable
urban development; Emerging concepts of cities - Eco-City, Smart City, Transit Oriented Development (TOD), SEZ, SRZ etc.
Housing45; Concepts, principles and examples of neighbourhood; Housing typologies51; Slums12; Affordable Housing; Housing for special
areas and needs; Residential densities24; Standards for housing and community facilities; National Housing Policies, Programs and
Schemes3.
Section 7: Planning Techniques and Management Tools and techniques of Surveys – Physical, Topographical, Landuse and Socio-
economic Surveys; Methods of non-spatial and spatial data analysis; Graphic presentation of spatial data; Application of G.I.S23 and
Remote Sensing techniques in urban and regional planning; Decision support system and Land Information System.
Urban Economics6; Law of demand and supply of land and its use in planning; Social, Economical and environmental cost benefit
analysis; Techniques of financial appraisal; Management of Infrastructure Projects; Development guidelines such as URDPFI40; Planning
Legislation33 and implementation – Land Acquisition Act, PPP etc.; Local self-governance18.
Section 8: Services, Infrastructure and Transportation Building Services28,35: Water supply; Sewerage and drainage systems; Sanitary
fittings and fixtures; Plumbing systems; Principles of internal and external drainage system; Principles of electrification of buildings;
Intelligent Buildings; Elevators46 and Escalators - standards and uses; Air-Conditioning systems; Firefighting Systems; Building Safety
and Security systems.
Urban Infrastructure – Transportation, Water Supply, Sewerage, Drainage53, Solid Waste Management9, Electricity and Communications.
Process and Principles of Transportation Planning17 and Traffic Engineering; Road capacity; Traffic survey methods; Traffic flow
characteristics; Traffic analyses and design considerations; Travel demand forecasting; Land-use – transportation - urban form inter-
relationships; Design of roads, intersections, grade separators and parking areas; Hierarchy of roads and level of service; Traffic and
transport management and control in urban areas,; Mass transportation planning; Para-transits and other modes of transportation,
Pedestrian and slow moving traffic planning; Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Principles of water supply and sanitation systems; water treatment27; Water supply50 and distribution system; Water harvesting systems;
Principles, Planning and Design of storm water drainage system; Sewage disposal methods; Methods of solid waste management -
collection, transportation and disposal; Recycling and Reuse of solid waste; Power Supply and Communication Systems, network, design
and guidelines. General Aptitude GA1 to GA10
1
GATE 2015
Inside and out the Vitra fire station is a series of complex spatial arrangements that evoke a sense of illusive instability
while still retaining some semblance of stability and structure. Yet all the while exhibiting simple, clean lines that
converge together to create a compositional complexity throughout the station.
Today, the fire house has been converted into a museum that showcases Vitra’s chair designs after the fire district lines
had been redrawn. Answer : A
25. A combination of colours forming an equilateral triangle in a Colour Wheel is called
Notes: Below are shown the basic color chords based on the color wheel.
Complementary
Colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel are considered to be
complementary colors (example: red and green).
The high contrast of complementary colors creates a vibrant
look especially when used at full saturation. This color scheme
must be managed well so it is not jarring.
Complementary colors are tricky to use in large doses, but
work well when you want something to stand out.
Complementary colors are really bad for text.
Analogous
Analogous color schemes use colors that are next to each
other on the color wheel. They usually match well and create
serene and comfortable designs.
Analogous color schemes are often found in nature and are
harmonious and pleasing to the eye.
Make sure you have enough contrast when choosing an
analogous color scheme.
Choose one color to dominate, a second to support. The third color is used (along with
black, white or gray) as an accent.
Triad
A triadic color scheme uses colors that are evenly spaced
around the color wheel.
Triadic color harmonies tend to be quite vibrant, even if you
use pale or unsaturated versions of your hues.
To use a triadic harmony successfully, the colors should be
carefully balanced - let one color dominate and use the two
others for accent.
12
GATE 2015
Split-Complementary
The split-complementary color scheme is a variation of the
complementary color scheme. In addition to the base color,
it uses the two colors adjacent to its complement.
This color scheme has the same strong visual contrast as the
complementary color scheme, but has less tension.
The split-complimentary color scheme is often a good
choice for beginners, because it is difficult to mess up.
Rectangle (tetradic)
The rectangle or tetradic color scheme uses four colors
arranged into two complementary pairs.
This rich color scheme offers plenty of possibilities for
variation.
The tetradic color scheme works best if you let one color
be dominant.
You should also pay attention to the balance between warm and cool colors in your
design.
Square
The square color scheme is similar to the rectangle, but with
all four colors spaced evenly around the color circle.
The square color scheme works best if you let one color be
dominant.
You should also pay attention to the balance between warm
and cool colors in your design.
Answer : B
Notes: Definition: Origin‐destination (O‐D) surveys provide a detailed picture of the trip patterns and travel choices of a
city’s or region’s residents.
These surveys collect valuable data related to households, individuals and trips. This information allows stakeholders to
understand :
>Travel patterns and characteristics
>Measure trends
>Provide input to travel demand model development
>Forecasting, and planning for area‐wide transportation needs and services
>Progress in implementing transportation policies.
13
GATE 2014
‘Hoju-ryo’ (1994) and Municipal Museum (1991), both in Yatsushiro, were his first major institutional buildings. They
launched a decade of success, including the Nagayama Amusement Complex in Tokyo (1993) and the almost completely
transparent ITM Building in Matsuyama (1993), leading to his masterpiece, completed in 2001 – the Sendai Médiathèque.
Seldom has a building been so eagerly awaited. Widely trailed in the architectural press before, during and after
construction, the média¬thèque was conceived as a seven-storey structure, clad in glass and held up by branch-like steel
members arranged in thirteen tubular columns housing services and allowing light to penetrate the depth of the floor
plate. It is spectacular, at once referring to the characteristic trees that line the roads of Sendai and providing a 22,000-
square-metre space of incredible lightness. The médiathèque derives its diagram from Le Corbusier’s 1914 Dom-lno
project, but also, again, refers to the movable screens and walls of the traditional Japanese house. The fit-out, with
furniture and screens designed by Ross Lovegrove dividing the interior, has been criticized by some as being
unsympathetic to Ito’s structure, but it remains one of the most important buildings of recent years in Japan, and confirms
Ito’s place as the pre¬eminent voice in contemporary Japanese architecture.
Shigeru Ban: Citing his innovative approach to structure and material as well as his commitment to compassionate
design, the Pritzker Jury has
selected Japanese architect
Shigeru Ban as the 2014
winner of the Pritzker Prize.
Ban is the thirty-eighth recipient of the
Pritzker Prize and its seventh Japanese
recipient.
Answer (D)
7
GATE 2014
8
GATE 2014
maintaining a dense hedge
maintaining a desired tree form or special garden forms
Prune to improve plant appearance
Appearance in the landscape is essential to a plant's usefulness. For most landscapes, a plant's natural form is best. Avoid
shearing shrubs into tight geometrical forms that can adversely affect flowering. Alter a plant's natural form only if it
needs to be confined or trained for a specific purpose. When plants are pruned well, it is difficult to see that they have
been pruned! Prune to:
30
GATE 2013
(A) P-1, Q-3, R-2, S-5 (B) P-2, Q-1, R-3, S-4(C) P-3, Q-4, R-5, S-2 (D) P-3, Q-1, R-2, S-4
Answer (D)
Q.33 Match the books in Group I with their corresponding authors in Group II
Group I Group II
P. Design of Cities 1. Amos Rapoport
Q. On the Cultural Origin of Settlements 2. Leo Jacobson and Ved Prakash
R. Urbanization and National Development 3. Edmond Bacon
S. Planning Theory 4. Christopher Alexander
5. Andreas Faludi
(A) P-3, Q-4, R-1, S-5 (B) P-3, Q-1, R-2, S-5 (C) P-4, Q-3, R-5, S-2 (D) P-3, Q-4, R-1, S-2 Answer (B)
Q.34 Match the temples in Group I with their corresponding historical periods in Group II
Group I Group II
P. Vaikuntha Perumal Temple 1. Vijaynagara
Q. Meenakshi Temple 2. Chalukya
R. Durga Temple 3. Chola
S. Brihadeshwara Temple 4. Pandya
5. Pallava
(A) P-2, Q-3, R-5, S-1 (B) P-5, Q-1, R-4, S-3 (C) P-3, Q-5, R-2, S-1 (D) P-5, Q-4, R-2, S-3
26
GATE 2012
GATE SYLLABUS [Contents covered in this section are highlighted and question no. in superscript] QUESTION PAPER 2012
Section 1: Architecture and Design Visual composition in 2D and 3D; Principles of Art and Architecture; Organization of space;
Architectural Graphics2; Computer Graphics– concepts of CAD40, BIM, 3D modeling and Architectural rendition; Programming
languages and automation. Anthropometrics; Planning and design considerations for different building types; Site planning8,15;
Circulation- horizontal and vertical; Barrier free design; Space Standards; Building Codes; National Building Code.
Elements, construction1, architectural styles and examples of different periods of Indian36 and Western History of Architecture;
Oriental, Vernacular and Traditional architecture43,46; Architectural developments since Industrial Revolution; Influence of modern
art on architecture; Art nouveau, Eclecticism, International styles, Post Modernism7, Deconstruction in architecture; Recent trends
in Contemporary Architecture; Works of renowned national and international architects32,39,42.
Section 2: Building Materials, Construction and Management Behavioral characteristics and applications of different building
materials9,14 viz. mud, timber, bamboo, brick, concrete, steel, glass22, FRP, AAC, different polymers, composites.
Building construction techniques6,50,51, methods17 and details45; Building systems and prefabrication of building elements;
Principles of Modular Coordination; Estimation, specification, valuation30, professional practice; Construction planning and
equipments; Project management techniques24 e.g. PERT, CPM etc.
Section 3: Building and Structures Principles of strength of materials; Design of structural elements in wood, steel and RCC20;
Elastic and Limit State design; Structural systems in RCC25,28 and Steel31; Form and Structure; Principles of Pre-stressing; High
Rise and Long Span structures, gravity and lateral load resisting systems; Principles and design of disaster resistant structures10.
Section 4: Environmental Planning and Design Ecosystem- natural and man-made ecosystem; Ecological principles; Concepts
of Environmental Impact Analysis; Environmental considerations in planning and design; Thermal comfort 47, ventilation29 and air
movement; Principles of lighting and illumination26,38; Climate responsive design; Solar architecture54,55; Principles of architectural
acoustics; Green Building- Concepts and Rating; ECBC4; Building Performance Simulation and Evaluation; Environmental
pollution37- types, causes, controls and abatement strategies.
Section 5: Urban Design Concepts and theories of urban design23; Public Perception; Townscape; Public Realm18; Urban design
interventions for sustainable development and transportation; Historical and modern examples of urban design34; Public spaces,
character, spatial qualities and Sense of Place11; Elements of urban built environment – urban form, spaces, structure, pattern,
fabric, texture, grain etc; Principles, tools and techniques of urban design; Urban renewal and conservation; Site planning;
Landscape design19; Development controls – FAR52,53, densities and building byelaws.
Section 6: Urban Planning and Housing Planning process; Types of plans35 - Master Plan, City Development Plan, Structure
Plan, Zonal Plan, Action Area Plan, Town Planning Scheme, Regional Plan; Salient concepts, theories and principles of urban
planning; Sustainable urban development; Emerging concepts of cities - Eco-City, Smart City, Transit Oriented Development
(TOD), SEZ, SRZ etc.
Housing; Concepts, principles and examples of neighbourhood; Housing typologies; Slums; Affordable Housing; Housing for
special areas and needs; Residential densities; Standards for housing and community facilities27; National Housing Policies,
Programs and Schemes33.
Section 7: Planning Techniques and Management Tools and techniques of Surveys – Physical, Topographical, Landuse and
Socio-economic Surveys; Methods of non-spatial and spatial data analysis13; Graphic presentation of spatial data; Application of
G.I.S21 and Remote Sensing techniques in urban and regional planning; Decision support system and Land Information System.
Urban Economics; Law of demand and supply of land and its use in planning; Social, Economical and environmental cost benefit
analysis; Techniques of financial appraisal; Management of Infrastructure Projects; Development guidelines such as URDPFI;
Planning Legislation and implementation – Land Acquisition Act, PPP etc.; Local self-governance.
Section 8: Services, Infrastructure and Transportation Building Services: Water supply44; Sewerage16 and drainage systems;
Sanitary fittings and fixtures; Plumbing systems; Principles of internal and external drainage system; Principles of electrification of
buildings; Intelligent Buildings; Elevators and Escalators - standards and uses; Air-Conditioning systems; Firefighting Systems;
Building Safety and Security systems. Urban Infrastructure – Transportation, Water Supply, Sewerage, Drainage, Solid Waste
Management, Electricity and Communications.
Process and Principles of Transportation Planning and Traffic Engineering; Road capacity; Traffic survey methods; Traffic flow
characteristics; Traffic analyses and design considerations; Travel demand forecasting; Land-use – transportation - urban form
inter-relationships; Design of roads3, intersections41, grade separators and parking areas; Hierarchy of roads and level of service;
Traffic and transport management and control in urban areas,; Mass transportation planning12; Para-transits and other modes of
transportation, Pedestrian and slow moving traffic planning; Intelligent Transportation Systems. Principles of water supply and
sanitation systems; water treatment; Water supply and distribution system; Water harvesting systems; Principles, Planning and
Design of storm water drainage system; Sewage disposal methods; Methods of solid waste management - collection, transportation
and disposal; Recycling and Reuse of solid waste; Power Supply and Communication Systems, network, design and guidelines.
General Aptitude 56 to 65
1
GATE 2012
Population Pyramid
A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about
political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis,
with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year
age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the
oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and
international migration trends.
Figure: A Cover Block is essentially a spacer that is used to lift the rebar matrix off the ground so that concrete may
flow underneath the rebar.
Answer (D)
4
GATE 2012
inspired by the wings of a bird; a cabled pedestrian bridge with a soaring mast inspired by the form os a sailboat and a
curving single-storey galleria reminiscent of a wave. "Rather than just add something to the existing buildings, I also
wanted to add something to the lakefront. I have therefore worked to infuse the building with a certain sensitivity to the
culture of the lake - the boats, the sails and the always changing landscape".
sculpture displayed on terraces and in gardens and the large Central Garden designed by Robert Irwin. Among the
artworks on display is the Vincent Van Gogh painting Irises. Designed by architect Richard Meier, the campus also
houses the Getty Research Institute (GRI), the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Foundation, and the J. Paul Getty
Trust. The Center's design included special provisions to address concerns regarding earthquakes and fires.
Section 1: Architecture and Design Visual composition34 in 2D and 3D; Principles of Art and Architecture; Organization of
space; Architectural Graphics5; Computer Graphics– concepts of CAD29,36, BIM, 3D modeling and Architectural rendition;
Programming languages and automation. Anthropometrics; Planning and design considerations for different building types; Site
planning; Circulation- horizontal and vertical; Barrier free design; Space Standards14; Building Codes; National Building Code.
Elements3,7, construction, architectural styles4 and examples of different periods of Indian13 and Western History of Architecture33;
Oriental, Vernacular and Traditional architecture; Architectural developments since Industrial Revolution; Influence of modern art
on architecture; Art nouveau, Eclecticism, International styles, Post Modernism, Deconstruction in architecture; Recent trends in
Contemporary Architecture24,26,30,31; Works of renowned national1 and international architects.
Section 2: Building Materials, Construction and Management Behavioral characteristics and applications of different building
materials17 viz. mud, timber, bamboo, brick, concrete28, steel, glass, FRP, AAC, different polymers, composites.
Building construction techniques27,47, methods32 and details20; Building systems and prefabrication of building elements; Principles
of Modular Coordination; Estimation, specification, valuation25,45, professional practice; Construction planning and
equipments16,40,46; Project management techniques e.g. PERT, CPM44 etc.
Section 3: Building and Structures Principles of strength of materials; Design of structural elements in wood, steel and
RCC6,48,49; Elastic and Limit State design; Structural systems in RCC and Steel18; Form and Structure; Principles of Pre-stressing;
High Rise and Long Span structures, gravity and lateral load resisting systems; Principles and design of disaster resistant
structures11.
Section 4: Environmental Planning and Design Ecosystem- natural and man-made ecosystem; Ecological principles; Concepts
of Environmental Impact Analysis; Environmental considerations in planning and design; Thermal comfort22, ventilation and air
movement; Principles of lighting and illumination; Climate responsive design; Solar architecture15; Principles of architectural
acoustics52,53; Green Building- Concepts and Rating; ECBC; Building Performance Simulation and Evaluation; Environmental
pollution- types, causes, controls and abatement strategies.
Section 5: Urban Design Concepts and theories of urban design; Public Perception; Townscape; Public Realm41; Urban design
interventions for sustainable development and transportation; Historical8 and modern examples38 of urban design; Public spaces39,
character, spatial qualities and Sense of Place42; Elements of urban built environment 10,43 – urban form, spaces, structure, pattern,
fabric, texture, grain etc; Principles, tools and techniques of urban design; Urban renewal and conservation; Site planning;
Landscape design; Development controls – FAR50,51,54,55, densities and building byelaws.
Section 6: Urban Planning and Housing Planning process; Types of plans - Master Plan, City Development Plan, Structure Plan,
Zonal Plan, Action Area Plan, Town Planning Scheme, Regional Plan; Salient concepts, theories and principles of urban
planning12; Sustainable urban development; Emerging concepts of cities - Eco-City, Smart City, Transit Oriented Development
(TOD), SEZ, SRZ etc.
Housing; Concepts, principles and examples of neighbourhood; Housing typologies; Slums23; Affordable Housing; Housing for
special areas and needs; Residential densities; Standards for housing and community facilities; National Housing Policies,
Programs and Schemes2.
Section 7: Planning Techniques and Management Tools and techniques of Surveys – Physical, Topographical, Landuse and
Socio-economic Surveys; Methods of non-spatial and spatial data analysis; Graphic presentation of spatial data; Application of
G.I.S and Remote Sensing techniques in urban and regional planning; Decision support system and Land Information System35.
Urban Economics; Law of demand and supply of land and its use in planning; Social, Economical and environmental cost benefit
analysis; Techniques of financial appraisal19; Management of Infrastructure Projects; Development guidelines such as URDPFI;
Planning Legislation and implementation – Land Acquisition Act, PPP etc.; Local self-governance.
Section 8: Services, Infrastructure and Transportation Building Services: Water supply; Sewerage and drainage systems;
Sanitary fittings and fixtures; Plumbing systems; Principles of internal and external drainage system; Principles of electrification of
buildings; Intelligent Buildings; Elevators and Escalators - standards and uses; Air-Conditioning systems; Firefighting Systems;
Building Safety and Security systems.
Urban Infrastructure – Transportation, Water Supply, Sewerage, Drainage, Solid Waste Management, Electricity and
Communications.
Process and Principles of Transportation Planning and Traffic Engineering; Road capacity; Traffic survey methods; Traffic flow
characteristics; Traffic analyses and design considerations; Travel demand forecasting; Land-use – transportation - urban form
inter-relationships; Design of roads, intersections, grade separators and parking areas9; Hierarchy of roads and level of service;
Traffic and transport management and control in urban areas,; Mass transportation planning; Para-transits and other modes of
transportation, Pedestrian and slow moving traffic planning; Intelligent Transportation Systems. Principles of water supply and
sanitation systems; water treatment; Water supply and distribution system; Water harvesting systems; Principles, Planning and
Design of storm water drainage system; Sewage disposal methods; Methods of solid waste management - collection, transportation
and disposal; Recycling and Reuse of solid waste; Power Supply and Communication Systems21, network, design and guidelines.
General Aptitude 56 to 65
1
GATE 2011
Q. 1 — Q. 25 carry one mark each.
Notes: The planning of Gandhinagar was done by two Indian Town Planners; Prakash M Apte & H. K. Mewada, who
had apprenticed with Le Corbusier in Chandigarh planning.
Bhubaneswar was planned by the German Otto Koenigsberger.
Buildings by Norman Foster:
2
GATE 2011
structure. It stands as the most prominent landmarks
of Berlin today, receiving millions of visitors from
all around the world.
The conical structure within the interior uses
mirrored facades to reflect the sunlight and spread it
within the building. Moreover, this is an
environmentally friendly building, being highly
energy efficient.
3
GATE 2011
2K. Note that Kelvin is used as the scale of temperature difference, but this is numerically equal to
oC. So for example, one square meter of a standard single glazed window will transmit about 5.6 watts of energy for
each degree difference either side of the window or a U - Value
of 5.6. A double glazed window will be significantly better with a U-value of 2.8 i.e. only transmitting 2.8 watts of
energy in similar conditions.
What is a U value?
A U value is a measure of heat loss in a building element such as a wall, floor or roof. It can also be referred to as an
‘overall heat transfer co-efficient’ and measures how well parts of a building transfer heat. This means that the higher
the U value the worse the thermal performance of the building envelope. A low U value usually indicates high levels of
insulation. They are useful as it is a way of predicting the composite behaviour of an entire building element rather than
relying on the properties of individual materials.
Why use U values?
U values are important because they form the basis of any energy or carbon reduction standard. In practice, nearly
every external building element has to comply with thermal standards that are expressed as a maximum U value.
Knowledge of how to simply calculate U values at an early stage in the design process, avoids expensive re-working
later on in a project. It allows the designer to test the feasibility of their project at an early stage to ensure it is fit for
purpose and will comply with regulatory frameworks.
When to use U-values
U values are calculated at stages D onwards in the design process. A critical milestone in any building project is
obtaining building regulation approval. For this a SAP calculation for housing or an SBEM procedure for non domestic
work is obligatory. As part of this process, the build up of any external construction element must be specified and
from this its U value can be derived.
How to use U values
Key points:
To calculate the U value of a building element such as a wall, floor or roof, you need to know the build up of
that element. Each building material should be positioned properly in sequence. The thickness of each building
material also is required.
The other key property you need to obtain is the conductivity of each building material. This is a measure of its
inherent ability to facilitate the passage of heat. It is normally referred to as a ‘k value’ and values for materials
can be found in publications such as the New Metric Handbook and the Architects’ Pocket Guide
The properties of the internal and external faces of the constructional element under scrutiny need to be
allowed for. These are called external resistances and are fixed values.
The U value is defined as being reciprocal of all the resistances of the materials found in the building element.
The resistance of a building material is derived by the following formula:
R = (1/k) x d
where k is the conductivity of the
building material and d is the material
thickness.
The formula for the calculation of a U
value is
U(element) = 1 / (Rso + Rsi + R1 + R2
...)
where Rso is the fixed external resistance
where Rsi is the fixed internal resistance
and R1… is the sum of all the resistances
of the building materials in the
constructional element. Answer (B)
Figure: Infrared imaging.
Q16. Consistency of cement is measured by
(A) Pycometer
(B) Slump cone
(C) Universal Testing Machine
(D) Vicat's apparatus
17
GATE 2010
Q.23 Tile age of a tree is determined by
(A) Arata Isowi (B) Tadao Ando (C) Kisbo Kuronwa (D) Minoru Yamasaki
Qatar National Conventional Center by Arata Isowi 4×4 House II by Tadao Ando
19
GATE 2010
Q.25 Proportioning system used in the layout of Mughal Gardens is derived from
Group I Group II
20
GATE 2010
Answer: (D)
24
GATE 2010
Q.35 Match the lamps in Group I with their Colour Rendering Index (CRI) in Group II
Group I Group II
P. Mercury Vapour 1. 65-70
Q. Metal Halide 2. 40-55
R. High-pressure sodium 3. 20-25
S. Low-pressure sodium 4. 60-6
(A) P-4, Q-2, R-1, S-3 (B) P-3, Q-2, R-4, S-1 (C) P- 2, Q - 1, R -4, S – 3 (D) P-4, Q-3, R-2, S -1
Notes: Color rendering relates to the way objects appear under a given light source. The measure is called the "color
rendering index", or CRI. A low CRI indicates than objects may appear unnatural under the source, while a light with a
high CRI rating will allow an object's colors to appear more natural. For lights with a "warm" color temperature the
reference point is an incandescent light. For lights with a cool color temperature the reference is sunlight. The table
below lists typical color rendering index ratings for a variety of lights, including compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs.
CRI
22 high pressure sodium lighting street lighting
62 common 4 foot fluorescent tube office
80-85 compact fluorescent lighting (warm white) residential
85 premium 4 foot fluorescent tube retail
80-90 solid state LED lighting residential
95 incandescent light bulb residential
Lights with CRIs of 80 or higher are generally considered to have a high CRI. CRI values should only
be compared when the light sources being compared have similar color temperature ratings.
Answer: (C)
Q.36 Match the terms in Group I with the architectural elements in Group II
Group I Group II
P. Tympanum l. Auditorium Stage
Q. Proscenium 2. Door or Window Bands
R. Campanile 3. Circular House
S. Dymaxion 4. Church Tower
5. Horizontal Space for Services
26
GATE 2010
Q.37 Identify the most representative percentage distribution of landuse for a medium urban centre,according
to UDPFI guidelines, where
Q.38 If the area of a plot is 1000 sq.m. area of its adjoining roads is 500 sq.m., maximum permissible FAR is
150 and maximum permissible Ground Coverage is 50%, then utilizing fullest ground coverage and assuming
floors of equal area, the number of storeys that can be built on the plot is
Group I Group II
P. British Council Library, New Delhi 1. Hasmukh C. Patel
Q. Osho Commune Campus. Pune 2. Charles Correa
R. CII Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Centre, Hyderabad 3. Hafeez Contractor
S. IIM New Campus. Ahmedabad 4. Karan Grover
5. Balkrishna V. Doshi
(A) P - 1, Q -2, R -3, S – 4 (B) P -2, Q -3, R -4, S -1 (C) P-2, Q-3, R-5, S-1 (D) P -5, Q-4, R -3, S-2
Image: British Council, New Delhi by Charles Correa Image: Osho Commune Campus. Pune by Hafeez
Contractor
28
GATE 2009
GATE SYLLABUS 2018 [Contents covered in this section are highlighted and question no. in superscript] QUESTION PAPER 2009
Section 1: Architecture and Design Visual composition in 2D and 3D; Principles of Art and Architecture; Organization of space;
Architectural Graphics3; Computer Graphics– concepts of CAD46, BIM, 3D modeling and Architectural rendition; Programming
languages and automation. Anthropometrics; Planning and design considerations for different building types; Site planning15,48;
Circulation- horizontal and vertical; Barrier free design; Space Standards; Building Codes; National Building Code.
Elements50, construction31, architectural styles and examples of different periods of Indian5,28,40 and Western37 History of
Architecture; Oriental, Vernacular and Traditional architecture43; Architectural developments since Industrial Revolution;
Influence of modern art on architecture; Art nouveau, Eclecticism, International styles, Post Modernism, Deconstruction in
architecture; Recent trends in Contemporary Architecture; Works of renowned national38 and international architects30.
Section 2: Building Materials, Construction and Management Behavioral characteristics and applications of different building
materials49 viz. mud, timber, bamboo, brick2,32, concrete12,16, steel, glass, FRP, AAC, different polymers, composites.
Building construction techniques, methods59 and details60; Building systems and prefabrication of building elements; Principles of
Modular Coordination; Estimation, specification, valuation, professional practice; Construction planning and equipments; Project
management techniques e.g. PERT, CPM1,51,52 etc.
Section 3: Building and Structures Principles of strength of materials; Design of structural elements in wood, steel and RCC14;
Elastic and Limit State design; Structural systems in RCC7,57,58 and Steel20; Form and Structure41; Principles of Pre-stressing; High
Rise and Long Span structures, gravity and lateral load resisting systems; Principles and design of disaster resistant structures.
Section 4: Environmental Planning and Design Ecosystem- natural and man-made ecosystem; Ecological principles; Concepts
of Environmental Impact Analysis; Environmental considerations in planning and design; Thermal comfort19, ventilation and air
movement; Principles of lighting and illumination; Climate responsive design; Solar architecture55,56; Principles of architectural
acoustics; Green Building- Concepts and Rating9; ECBC; Building Performance Simulation and Evaluation; Environmental
pollution- types, causes, controls and abatement strategies.
Section 5: Urban Design Concepts and theories of urban design13,25,44; Public Perception39; Townscape; Public Realm; Urban
design interventions for sustainable development and transportation; Historical and modern examples of urban design11,22; Public
spaces, character, spatial qualities and Sense of Place23; Elements of urban built environment10,26 – urban form, spaces, structure,
pattern, fabric, texture, grain etc; Principles, tools and techniques of urban design; Urban renewal and conservation; Site planning;
Landscape design34; Development controls – FAR27, densities and building byelaws.
Section 6: Urban Planning and Housing Planning process; Types of plans - Master Plan, City Development Plan, Structure Plan,
Zonal Plan, Action Area Plan, Town Planning Scheme, Regional Plan; Salient concepts21, theories and principles of urban
planning47; Sustainable urban development18; Emerging concepts of cities - Eco-City, Smart City, Transit Oriented Development
(TOD), SEZ, SRZ etc.
Housing35,42; Concepts, principles and examples of neighbourhood; Housing typologies; Slums; Affordable Housing; Housing for
special areas and needs; Residential densities; Standards for housing and community facilities; National Housing Policies,
Programs and Schemes.
Section 7: Planning Techniques and Management Tools and techniques of Surveys – Physical, Topographical33, Landuse and
Socio-economic Surveys; Methods of non-spatial and spatial data analysis; Graphic presentation of spatial data; Application of
G.I.S and Remote Sensing17 techniques in urban and regional planning; Decision support system and Land Information System.
Urban Economics; Law of demand and supply of land and its use in planning; Social, Economical and environmental cost benefit
analysis; Techniques of financial appraisal; Management of Infrastructure Projects; Development guidelines such as URDPFI;
Planning Legislation and implementation – Land Acquisition Act, PPP etc.; Local self-governance6.
Section 8: Services, Infrastructure and Transportation Building Services: Water supply; Sewerage and drainage systems;
Sanitary fittings and fixtures; Plumbing systems; Principles of internal and external drainage system; Principles of electrification of
buildings; Intelligent Buildings; Elevators and Escalators - standards and uses; Air-Conditioning systems; Firefighting Systems;
Building Safety and Security systems.
Urban Infrastructure – Transportation, Water Supply36, Sewerage, Drainage, Solid Waste Management24, Electricity29 and
Communications.
Process and Principles of Transportation Planning45 and Traffic Engineering; Road capacity; Traffic survey methods8; Traffic flow
characteristics; Traffic analyses and design considerations; Travel demand forecasting; Land-use – transportation - urban form
inter-relationships; Design of roads, intersections, grade separators and parking areas; Hierarchy of roads and level of service;
Traffic and transport management and control in urban areas,; Mass transportation planning; Para-transits and other modes of
transportation, Pedestrian and slow moving traffic planning; Intelligent Transportation Systems. Principles of water supply4 and
sanitation systems; water treatment; Water supply and distribution system; Water harvesting systems; Principles, Planning and
Design of storm water drainage system; Sewage disposal methods; Methods of solid waste management - collection, transportation
and disposal; Recycling and Reuse of solid waste; Power Supply and Communication Systems, network, design and guidelines.
[End]
1
GATE 2009
Q. 1 - Q. 20 carry one mark each.
Introduction: The program evaluation and review technique (PERT) and the critical path method (CPM) are project
management techniques used to coordinate activities that contribute to the completion of a complex project. While they
are similar, there are key differences relating to the amount of time each technique allocates to each task.
Core Difference: CPM is used for projects that assume deterministic activity times; the times at which each activity
will be carried out are known. PERT, on the other hand, allows for stochastic activity times; the times at which each
activity will be carried out are uncertain or varied (probabilistic). Because of this core difference, CPM and PERT are
used in different contexts.
PERT is used for projects in which activity times are unknown. For example, take a research and development project
(R&D). In an R&D project, the amount of time to complete a given task is unpredictable. In such a case, PERT is the
best choice, since it allows planners to allocate three estimates for completion times -- the most likely, the most
optimistic and the most pessimistic.
CPM: The activities involved in a construction project, on the other hand, are much more predictable, and may not
need three estimated completion times. If this is the case, CPM may be more appropriate, since unlike PERT, CPM
also allows for planners to make trade-offs between the cost of the project and the amount of time needed to complete
it. Answer: (C)
Q2. The minimum thickness of a wall where single Flemish bond can be used is
(A) Half-brick thick (B) One-brick thick (C) One-and-half-brick thick (D) two-brick thick
Answer: (B)
Q3. On the colour when, the combination of 'violet-Yellow' or 'Orange-Blue' are bet described as
Notes: Complementary colors are any two colors which are directly opposite each
other, such as red & green and red-purple & yellow-green. These opposing colors
create maximum contrast and maximum stability.
Supplementary colours are colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel.
They are basically the colours that are between two prime colours not including the
2
GATE 2009
second prime colour. Example, Red - Red/Orange - Orange - Yellow/Orange are all
supplementary to each other.
Analogous colors are groups of colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel,
with one being the dominant color, which tends to be a primary or secondary color, and two
on either side complimenting, which tend to be tertiary. The term analogous refers to the
having analogy, or corresponding to something in particular.
Monochromatic colors are all the colors (tints, tones, and shades) of a
single hue. Monochromatic color schemes are derived from a single base
hue, and extended using its shades, tones and tints (that is, a hue modified
by the addition of black, gray (black + white) and white. As a result, the
energy is more subtle and peaceful due to a lack of contrast of hue.
Answer: (A)
(A) Cavitation (B) Hydraulic gradient (C) Stack pressure (D) Water hammer
Notes: Water hammer (or, more generally, fluid hammer) is a pressure surge when a
fluid (usually a liquid but sometimes also a gas) in motion is forced to stop or change
direction suddenly (momentum change). A water hammer commonly occurs when a
valve closes suddenly at an end of a pipeline system, and a pressure wave propagates
in the pipe. It is also called hydraulic shock.
This pressure wave can cause major problems, from noise and vibration to
pipe collapse. It is possible to reduce the effects of the water hammer pulses
with accumulators, expansion tanks, surge tanks, and other features.
When a pipe is suddenly closed at the outlet (downstream), the mass of water
before the closure is still moving, thereby building up high pressure and a
resulting shock wave. In domestic plumbing this is experienced as a loud
banging, resembling a hammering noise. Water hammer can cause pipelines
to break if the pressure is high enough. Air traps or stand pipes (open at the
top) are sometimes added as dampers to water systems to absorb the
potentially damaging forces caused by the moving water.
In the home, water hammer may occur when a dishwasher, washing machine, or toilet shuts off water flow. The result
may be heard as a loud bang, repetitive
banging (as the shock wave travels back and
forth in the plumbing system), or as some
shuddering.
3
GATE 2009
party in the appropriate techniques and processes towards building a green building. It was designed as a point based
system to give the interested party an approximation of how green the building would be.
The Energy and Resources Institute, also known as TERI (formerly Tata Energy Research Institute),
established in 1974, is a research institute that conducts research work in the fields of energy,
environment and sustainable development with a focus on formulating local- and national-level
strategies for shaping global solutions to critical issues. Answer: (A)
(A) Mies van der Rohe (B) Alvar Aalto (C) Frank Lyoyd Wright (D) Le Corbusier
Definition: In 1936, when the United States was in the depths of an economic depression, American architect Frank
Lloyd Wright developed a series of homes he called Usonian. Designed to control costs, Wright's Usonian houses had
no attics, no basements, and little ornamentation. Some have said that the word Usonia is an abbreviation for United
States of North America. Affordable house for the "common people" of the United States.
Characteristics: Usonian architecture grew out of Frank Lloyd Wright's earlier Prairie style homes. Both styles
featured low roofs and open living areas. Both styles made abundant use of brick, wood, and other natural material.
However, Wright's Usonian homes were small, one-story structures set on concrete slabs with piping for radiant heat
beneath. The kitchens were incorporated into the living areas. Open car ports took the place of garages.
5
GATE 2009
In the 1950s, when he was in his '80s, Frank Lloyd Wright
first used the term Usonian Automatic to describe a Usonian
style house made of inexpensive concrete blocks. The three-
inch-thick modular blocks could be assembled in a variety of
ways and secured with steel rods and grout. Frank Lloyd
Wright hoped that home buyers would save money by
building their own Usonian Automatic houses. But
assembling the modular parts proved complicated - most
buyers hired pros to construct their Usonian houses.
Q12. Increase in the volume of fine aggregate due to the pressure of moisture is called
Notes: Bulking of sand means increase in it's volume due to presence of surface moisture . The volume increases
with increase in moisture content . The volume may increase up to 20 to 40% when moisture content is 5 to 10 %.
To be more precise, due to moisture in each particle of sand, sand gets a coating of water due to surface tension which
keeps the particles apart. This causes an increment in volume of sand known as Bulking. Answer: (A)
(A) Christopher Alexander (B) Patrick Geddes (C) John Ruskin (D) Amos Rapoport
The book provides rules and pictures, and leaves decisions to be taken from the precise environment of the project. It
describes exact methods for constructing practical, safe and attractive designs at every scale, from entire regions,
through cities, neighborhoods, gardens, buildings, rooms, built-in furniture, and fixtures down to the level of
doorknobs.
A notable value is that the architectural system consists only of classic patterns tested in the real world and reviewed by
multiple architects for beauty and practicality. Answer: (A)
Q14. As per IS:456-2000, the maximum area of tension reinforcement in a RCC beam shall not exceed x% of its
cross-sectional area, where x is equal to
6
GATE 2009
(C) Earthwork computation (D) Interpretation of remotely sensed images
Notes: Slump test is used to determine the workability of fresh concrete. or fluidity. It's an indirect measurement of
concrete consistency or stiffness.
The consistency, or stiffness, indicates how much water has been used in the mix. The stiffness of the concrete mix
should be matched to the requirements for the finished product quality. The test is popular due to the simplicity of
apparatus used and simple procedure. Answer: (D)
17. The Remote sensing satellite that gives the highest spatial resolution is
Notes: IKONOS 2 is a commercial earth observation satellite, and was the first to collect publicly available high-
resolution imagery at 1- meter resolution. Supposedly a variant of the Greek word `eikon' (icon), meaning "image."
IRS-1C/1D was a remote sensing Indian satellite with 5.8-meter resolution.
QuickBird II was launched October 18, 2001 from an Air Force Base, California, USA. It was able to produce 0.61
meter resolution imaginary.
SPOT 5 was launched on May 4, 2002 with 2.5 meter resolution capability. Answer: (C)
Q18. Development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future
generations to met their own needs is termed by UNDP is
7
GATE 2009
Concept: The stadium design was inspired by the formation of nesting birds. The architects have succeeded in
translating the concept, so that their work on the project soon gained the nickname "bird's nest" almost spontaneously
among the Chinese population.
The design is based on the nests of birds, not only aesthetically but also at a structural level. The entire structure,
visible from the outside, mirrors the branches of the nests that working together with each other achieve unimaginable
resistance to the elements. At the center of the area that also houses other Olympic structures, the stadium seems to be
perched like a spaceship, with a quiet majesty whose appeal is given by its slight undulation.
Spaces: What makes this even more complex project is the fact that the "nest" is not only walls and roof, but also
houses the stairs and facade.
The domestic routes are "marked" by elements of spaced sotillos of slate and bamboo, stone blocks and covered
gardens that reflect some of the symbols of Chinese culture.
Structure and Materials: The stadium is 330 meters long, 220 meters wide and 69 meters high.
The protagonist between the materials is the steel that constitutes the various branches of the nest, between one and
another, a series of "cushions" of inflatable ETFE (ethylene-copolymer tetrafluoretileno) give the stadium a "quilted"
image. The cost of this large area of material used for the cover was $8 million.
Besides the aesthetic value of this network, we must emphasize the role of the
structural elements of metal, which are interlacing and are mutually supporting.
Although it produces the impression of a casual and almost natural course, the
meeting of the various elements and the direction we take in the nest, are the
result of precise calculations.
The steel structure had to be supported by 176 hydraulic jacks during its
construction while the structure was not capable of self-sustainment. Each crane
was capable of holding 300 tons, each with an accuracy of one millimeter. Later,
14
GATE 2009
the hydraulic jacks were removed at once to check the stability of the structure of the stadium.
The special features of this stadium, which was the main stage of the 2008 Olympics, suggest it being completely
closed. In fact, in correspondence with the central area, the ceiling is a transparent membrane, through which passes the
light from outside. The remaining part of the structure is covered by a translucent layer that protects it from adverse
weather and a second layer of acoustic insulation.
To the architecture of Herzog & de Meuron, attentive to the materials and implementing new solutions, this project has
also become an opportunity for experimentation and research, both during the "creative" stage as during its work.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The Louvre Pyramid design by IM Pei was one of the controversial project. As soon as word leaked that a modern
pyramid would be built at the heart of the Louvre, most critics were quick to attack the audacious design. The plans
also caused an outcry with Parisians, who had become weary of modern projects after the construction of
theMontparnasse Tower and the bland towers of La Défense. Polls indicated a large majority of the French citizens
opposed the structure. But soon after the official inauguration of the pyramid in March 1989, the opposition quickly
subsided and the Louvre Pyramid became one of Paris's most beloved modern landmarks.
The Design: The pyramid is rather modest in size compared to the surrounding palace wings of the Louvre. It has a
height of about 22 meters (72ft) and at its base measures just over 35 meters (116ft). It is flanked by three smaller
pyramids and reflecting pools with modern fountains.
Much effort was made to make the pyramid as transparent as possible. The 675 diamond-shaped and 118 triangular
panes were specifically fabricated to make them completely clear. Attention was also paid to the 128 steel girders and
16 steel cables that hold the panes together. Technology from high tech yachts was used to make them as small and
unobtrusive as possible.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
The Millennium Dome was constructed to be the home of a very large exhibition that was to celebrate the coming of
the third millennium.
15
GATE 2009
Design and Construction: The building is constructed out
of tensioned fabric over a skeleton of steel. Of the many
large domes worldwide which share this construction
scheme, the Millennium Dome is one of the largest.
Symbolism is key to the design of the dome and there are
many symbolic pieces of the structure. It has 12 supports
that jut out from the cloth ceiling that represent the months
of the year and the hours on a clock face. This is an
attempt to pay homage to the role of Greenwich Mean
Time since the Prime Meridian passes just to the west of
the building. The circular dome also has a diameter of 365
metres to represent the days of the year. The centre of the
dome is a full 52 metres tall to represent the 52 weeks in
each year. The top of the structure is comprised of a thick glass/fibre fabric that has been coated with PTFE. It is a very
durable material that is commonly used in similarly styled buildings. Due to the fact that the roof is held together using
12 struts, the building is not technically a "dome" by architectural standards. The roof was designed to actually be
lighter than the air inside of the building. This helps its structural integrity significantly.
History:The land upon which the Millennium Dome sits was once heavily contaminated by toxic runoff and waste
from the East Greenwich Gas Works. The Millennium Dome was originally supposed to be much smaller than it turned
out to be and was meant to be a conservatively-sized exhibition. In 1997, the Labour government pushed the size and
scope of the proposed dome to its limits and led to the development of the enormous structure that exists today. It was
decided that the project would be both a reclamation effort of the Greenwich Peninsula and an enormous celebration of
the coming of the new millennium.
Current Use: After the failure of the Millennium Exhibition and the resulting scandal over the cost of the Millennium
Dome, the dome was sold and has been rebranded as O2 Arena. It is a major exhibition and events venue in London
that often hosts concerts by famous bands.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
16
GATE 2009
air through intakes at the other side. Mobiles are suspended in the ticketing hall to take advantage of the flowing air.
Answer: (C)
P. Mastaba (A) P, Q, R
Q. Dolmen (B) R, T, U
R. Menhir (C) Q, S, T
S. Pylon (D) Q, R, T
T. Stonehenge
U. Thermae
Notes: Egyptologist use the Arabic word 'mastaba', meaning
'bench', for the massive rectangular structures found above
many tombs in Saqqara, Gizeh and other places. They often
have rooms for offerings inside which are decorated with
reliefs or paintings. In the Old Kingdom (about 2686-2181
BC) they had a separated room 'serdab' in which one or more
statues of the tomb owner and his family were placed. The
earliest mastabas are found at Tarkhan, Saqqara and Gizeh.
They are structures decorated with a palace facade.
………………………………………
17
GATE 2009
Thermae, complex of rooms designed for
public bathing, relaxation, and social activity that
was developed to a high degree of sophistication
by the ancient Romans. Although public baths
are known to have existed in early Egyptian
palaces, remains are too fragmentary to permit
complete analysis of Egyptian types. Bathing
occupied an important place in the life of the
Greeks, as indicated by the remains of bathing
rooms in the palace of Knossos (begun c. 1700
bc). The standardized architectural type of the
thermae, however, was not developed until the
Romans designed the great imperial thermae.
…………………………………………………
Stonehenge is a prehistoric, mysterious circle of upright stones in southern England. Construction on the great
monument began 5,000 years ago; the famous stones that still stand today were put in place about 4,000 years ago.
The stones are aligned almost perfectly with the sunrise on the summer solstice, and it is almost unquestioned that
Stonehenge was built as a spectacular place of worship.
Although the faith of the Stonehenge builders predates any known religion, the site has become a place of pilgrimage
and worship for Neopagans who identify themselves with the Druids or other forms of Celtic paganism. It is also
popular with New Age devotees, who report powerful energies at the site. Answer: (D)
Q32. Match the figures of cut bricks in Group I with their terms in Group II:
Group I Group II
1. King Closer
2. Queen Closer
3. Half Bat
4. Three Quarter Bat
(A) P - 2, Q - 3, R - 1, S - 4 (B) P - 2, Q - 1, R - 3, s - 4
(C) P - 1, Q - 2, R - 4, S - 3 (D) P - 3, Q - 4, R - 1, S – 2
Answer: (A)
18
GATE 1999
Advantages:
- Very efficient lamp
- Powerful lamp for use of large areas
- Despite a warm up time of 5-10 minutes it restarts immediately if there is a brownout
- Lumen output does not drop with age (such as in LEDs or incandescents)
Disadvantages:
- Worst color rendering of any lamp
- Sodium is a hazardous material which can combust when exposed
to air (such as if the bulb is broken in the trash)
Statistics:
CRI -44
Color Temperature: 1800
100-190 lumens per watt
Bulb life: 18,000 hrs
(A) Triangulation
(B) Three-point resection
(C) Trilateration
(D) None of these
2
GATE 1999
(B) a straight line moving over curve at acute angle
(C) a curve moving over two other parallel curves
(D) a straight line moving over two other straight lines at an angle to one another
A hyperbolic paraboloid (sometimes referred to as ‘h/p’) is a doubly-curved surface that resembles the shape of a
saddle, that is, it has a convex form along one axis, and a concave form on along the other. It is also a doubly-ruled
surface, that is, every point on its surface lies on two straight lines across the surface. Horizontal sections taken through
the surface are hyperbolic in format and vertical sections are parabolic.
(Source: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Hyperbolic_paraboloid_in_construction )
3
GATE 1994
Duration: 3 hours
Maximum marks: 150
Instruction: Choose either part I or part II from Section B. Section B has TWENTY questions. Answer any TEN
questions in this section.
Special instruction would be provided at the beginning of the question if any. No negative marking.
1. Write in your answer book the correct or the most appropriate answer to the following questions. (20 x 1 = 20
marks)
1.1 The visual principle of optical correctness was invented and used in
(A) Byzantine Architecture (B) Islamic Architecture (C) Gracco Roman Architecture (D) Greek Architecture
Ecology
Ecology may be defined as the scientific study of the relationship of living organisms with each other and with
their environment
The emphasis is on relationships between organisms and the components of the environment namely abiotic
(non-living) and biotic (living).
Ecology is derived from 2 Greek words
Oikos >> Home or place to live in
Logos >> Study
Literally, it means study of home or nature
Ecology not only deals with the study of the relationship of individual organisms with their environment, but
also with the study of populations, communities, ecosystems, biomes and biosphere as a whole
Biome
a large community unit, characterized by a major vegetation type and associated fauna, found in a specific
climatic region
No two biomes are alike
Ecotone
Transitional area between two biomes
or diverse ecosystems (where two
communities meet & integrate)
Examples : between a field and forest,
between forest and grassland
may appear as a gradual blending of
the two communities across a broad
area, or may manifest itself as a sharp
boundary line
May contains some organisms which
are entirely different from that of
adjoining communities
Sometimes the number of species & Figure: formation of Biome
population density of some of the
species is much greater in this zone than either community, Known as edge effect
1
GATE 1994
1.17 The principle of ‘Conservative Survey’ was suggested by
(A) Oscar Neimeyer (B) Patricks Geddes (C) Charles Abraham
(D) Lewis Mumford
1.18 Plant which can block wind and view throughout the year when
branching very near the ground are
(A) Deciduous
(B) Evergreen Conifers
(C) Broad leaf evergreens
(D) Mixed evergreen deciduous
5
GATE 1992
1.1 The delay in transfer of thermal energy from outside to inside is called
(A) Thermal conductivity (B) Insulation (C) Radiation (D) Thermal lag
Thermal lag is the delay of heat transmitted through a wall. It's a measurement of the ability of walling material to
slowly absorb and release heat energy. A material with high heat capacity and low conductivity will have a high
thermal lag. Thermal lag times are influenced by:
Temperature differentials between each face.
Exposure to air movement and air speed.
Texture and coatings of surfaces.
Thickness of material.
Conductivity of material.
Thermal lag can be used to ease out internal/external diurnal temperature variations. Materials for example, bricks and
other heavyweight materials offer this property. Thermal lag can be measured as the amount of time taken for a
material to absorb and then release the heat energy. Units for measuring thermal lag is generally in Hours. In temperate
climates, external wall materials with a minimum time lag of 10 to 12 hours can be very effective to reduce
internal/external temperature variations during day and night. If it is required to keep the heat for a longer time, a layer
of insulation can be added to slow the rate of heat transfer and moderate temperature differentials. Answer: (D)
Gothic architecture, architectural style in Europe that lasted from the mid 12th century to the 16th century,
particularly a style of masonry building characterized by cavernous spaces with the expanse of walls broken up by
overlaid tracery. In the 12th–13th centuries, feats of engineering permitted increasingly gigantic buildings. The rib
vault, flying buttress, and pointed (Gothic) arch were used as solutions to the problem of building a very tall
structure while preserving as much natural light as possible. Stained-glass window panels rendered startling sun-
dappled interior effects. One of the earliest buildings to combine these elements into a coherent style was the abbey of
Saint-Denis, Paris (c. 1135–44). The High Gothic years (c. 1250–1300), heralded by Chartres Cathedral, were
dominated by France, especially with the development of the Rayonnant style. Britain, Germany, and Spain produced
variations of this style, while Italian Gothic stood apart in its use of brick and marble rather than stone. Late Gothic
(15th-century) architecture reached its height in Germany’s vaulted hall churches. Answer: (C)
The basic form of a Hindu structural temple consists of: Garbhagriha, Mandapa, Shikhara or Vimana, Amalaka,
Kalasha, Antarala (vestibule), Jagati, Vahana and others.
1. Garbhagriha:
1
GATE 1992
2. Mandapa:
3. Shikhara or Vimana: North Indian style of temple architecture is called Nagara and south Indian style is
Dravidian. In Dravidian style the tower section is called vimana. In Nagara style the tower section is called shikara.
4. Amalaka:
It is a stone disc like structure at the top
of the temple and they are common in
North Indian temples.
5. Kalasha:
It is the topmost point of the temple and
commonly seen in North Indian temples.
6. Antarala (vestibule):
Antarala is a transition area between the
Garbhagriha and the temple’s main hall
(mandapa).
Figure: Shikhara has a curving shape while vimana has a
7. Jagati: pyramidal-like structure
It is a raised platform for sitting and
praying and is common in North Indian temples.
8. Vahana:
It is the mount or vehicle of the temple’s main deity along with a standard pillar or Dhvaj which is placed
axially before the sanctum. Answer: (B)
Figure: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City was the first Guggenheim Museum established.
2
GATE 1991
1. Ratio ‘Golden Mean’ is:
(A) 1: 2.216 (B) 1: 1.618 (C) 1: 1.50 (D) 1: 1.44 Answer: (B)
2. ‘Mihrab’ is found
(A) inside wall of a mausoleum (B) on the crown of minaret
(C) on the west wall of a mosque (D) in the stepped well of Gujarat
6. ‘Gopuram’ refers to
(A) Temple (B) Gateway (C) Village (D) Brick dome
Notes: The catenary curve is interesting because there are many examples of it in the world around us. The best way to
visualize a catenary curve is to imagine the shape of a hanging chain. (The word comes from the Latin word catena
meaning "chain.") Catenaries are used in engineering and architecture, for example in the shape of hanging bridges, or
when inverted, in the shape of some arches. One of the most impressive examples is the St. Louis Gateway Arch.
Catenaries can also be found in nature, for example in the curve of a spider web.
At first glance, catenaries might look like parabolas, but they have a completely different formula. The formula gives a
shape that has a special structural property when used as an arch. When the chain shape is inverted into an arch and
divided into building blocks, the blocks can support each other by gravity alone. To fully understand how catenaries
differ from parabolas and why chains take the shape of catenary curves, we need some calculus background which is
out of syllabus.
1
GATE 1991
period.
Q10.1 The residential landuse of an urban area accounts for 50 % of the developed land of the city. The vacant
undeveloped land is about 30 % of the total urban area, which amounts to 2,400 hectare of land. Estimate the quantum
of land put to residential uses and also the overall density of the urban area if the population is of 2,00,000 size.
Q.l1.1 Draw the bending moment and shear force diagram for the following:
Q11.2 Sketch the bending moment and shear force diagram (values not required) :
Q.13 Draw the CPM network diagram with the activities as shown below:
S.N. Activity Preceding activity
1 A -
2 B A
3 C A
4 D C
5 E B
6 F E
7 G D
Q14. Find the errors in the following FORTRAN program: (Out of syllabus now!)
Q.15 Illustrate with sketches the optical correction in Architecture developed by the Greek.
5
GATE NUMERICALS
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GATE NUMERICALS
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